2004 U.S. Landfalling Storms

Figure 2 displays the U.S. landfalling storms for the 2004 hurricane season as of September 30.

Figure 2: Tropical cyclones making US landfall (TS Bonnie, Category 4 Hurricane Charley, Category 2 Hurricane Frances, TS Gaston, TS Hermine, Category 3 Hurricane Ivan and Category 3 Hurricane Jeanne). Alex did not technically make U.S. landfall but did effect the Outer Banks with hurricane-force winds. A solid line denotes a tropical cyclone of hurricane intensity, and a dashed line indicates a tropical cyclone of tropical storm intensity.

Hurricane Alex brushed the Outer Banks of North Carolina on August 3 as a Category 2 hurricane while traveling northeastward across the Atlantic. Wind gusts to hurricane force were reported on Cape Hatteras. Damage estimates from Alex are approximately 2.5 million dollars. No deaths were reported.

Tropical Storm Bonnie made landfall near Apalachicola, Florida on August 12 with an estimated intensity at landfall of 50 miles per hour. Bonnie was responsible for three deaths in North Carolina from tornadoes spawned from the weakening system. Damage from this system was minimal.

Hurricane Charley made its initial United States landfall on August 13 near Punta Gorda, Florida as a Category 4 hurricane with estimated winds of 145 miles per hour. Charley then traversed northeast through the center of the state, severely affecting Orlando and Daytona Beach before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Charley made three additional landfalls: first at Cape Romain, SC with estimated winds of 80 miles per hour, a second landfall near Myrtle Beach with estimated winds of 75 miles per hour, and a final landfall on Long Island, NY as a minimal tropical storm with estimated winds of 40 miles per hour. Preliminary damage estimates for this system are between 13-15 billion dollars. Charley is the second most expensive hurricane to hit the United States, behind only Hurricane Andrew of 1992.

Hurricane Frances made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane near Sewall’s Point, Florida on September 5 with maximum winds estimated at 105 miles per hour. Frances slowly tracked west-northwest across the state before emerging into the Gulf of Mexico. Frances made a second landfall as a 65 mph tropical storm near St. Marks, Florida on September 6. Insured damage from Frances is estimated at around 4 billion dollars, bringing the total damage estimate to around 8 billion dollars. Frances was responsible for at least 24 deaths.

Tropical Storm Gaston made landfall near McLellanville, SC with maximum winds estimated at 70 miles per hour. Preliminary damage estimates for South Carolina from Gaston are 15 million dollars. No fatalities have been attributed to Gaston.

Tropical Storm Hermine made landfall as a minimal tropical storm near New Bedford, MA with maximum winds estimated at 40 miles per hour. No damage estimates are available, and no loss of life was reported from this system.

Hurricane Ivan made landfall near Palm Shores, AL as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum winds at landfall estimated at 130 miles per hour. Extensive destruction occurred in Pensacola and its suburbs. Ivan was responsible for death and destruction along the entire East Coast of the United States with over 50 deaths attributed to the system in the United States. The remnants of Ivan later tracked southwestward over the Atlantic Ocean, across the state of Florida, and then back into the Gulf of Mexico. Once in the Gulf, the system regenerated and made a second landfall in Cameron Parish, LA as a minimal tropical storm with maximum winds estimated at 40 miles per hour. Initial estimates of insured damage losses from Ivan range from 3-6 billion dollars, bringing the total damage estimate to between 6-12 billion dollars.

Hurricane Jeanne made landfall late on September 25 on the southern part of Hutchinson Island, Florida as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds estimated at 120 miles per hour. Jeanne was the fourth hurricane to affect the state of Florida in a span of six weeks. Nine deaths have been reported in the United States from this hurricane, and initial estimates of insured damage range from 4-8 billion dollars according to Risk Management Solutions. This puts estimated total damage between 8-16 billion dollars. In addition, Jeanne was responsible for between 1500-2000 deaths along the northern coast of Haiti.

2004 U.S. Landfalling Storms

Figure 2 displays the U.S. landfalling storms for the 2004 hurricane season as of September 30.

Figure 2: Tropical cyclones making US landfall (TS Bonnie, Category 4 Hurricane Charley, Category 2 Hurricane Frances, TS Gaston, TS Hermine, Category 3 Hurricane Ivan and Category 3 Hurricane Jeanne). Alex did not technically make U.S. landfall but did effect the Outer Banks with hurricane-force winds. A solid line denotes a tropical cyclone of hurricane intensity, and a dashed line indicates a tropical cyclone of tropical storm intensity.

Hurricane Alex brushed the Outer Banks of North Carolina on August 3 as a Category 2 hurricane while traveling northeastward across the Atlantic. Wind gusts to hurricane force were reported on Cape Hatteras. Damage estimates from Alex are approximately 2.5 million dollars. No deaths were reported.

Tropical Storm Bonnie made landfall near Apalachicola, Florida on August 12 with an estimated intensity at landfall of 50 miles per hour. Bonnie was responsible for three deaths in North Carolina from tornadoes spawned from the weakening system. Damage from this system was minimal.

Hurricane Charley made its initial United States landfall on August 13 near Punta Gorda, Florida as a Category 4 hurricane with estimated winds of 145 miles per hour. Charley then traversed northeast through the center of the state, severely affecting Orlando and Daytona Beach before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Charley made three additional landfalls: first at Cape Romain, SC with estimated winds of 80 miles per hour, a second landfall near Myrtle Beach with estimated winds of 75 miles per hour, and a final landfall on Long Island, NY as a minimal tropical storm with estimated winds of 40 miles per hour. Preliminary damage estimates for this system are between 13-15 billion dollars. Charley is the second most expensive hurricane to hit the United States, behind only Hurricane Andrew of 1992.

Hurricane Frances made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane near Sewall’s Point, Florida on September 5 with maximum winds estimated at 105 miles per hour. Frances slowly tracked west-northwest across the state before emerging into the Gulf of Mexico. Frances made a second landfall as a 65 mph tropical storm near St. Marks, Florida on September 6. Insured damage from Frances is estimated at around 4 billion dollars, bringing the total damage estimate to around 8 billion dollars. Frances was responsible for at least 24 deaths.

Tropical Storm Gaston made landfall near McLellanville, SC with maximum winds estimated at 70 miles per hour. Preliminary damage estimates for South Carolina from Gaston are 15 million dollars. No fatalities have been attributed to Gaston.

Tropical Storm Hermine made landfall as a minimal tropical storm near New Bedford, MA with maximum winds estimated at 40 miles per hour. No damage estimates are available, and no loss of life was reported from this system.

Hurricane Ivan made landfall near Palm Shores, AL as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum winds at landfall estimated at 130 miles per hour. Extensive destruction occurred in Pensacola and its suburbs. Ivan was responsible for death and destruction along the entire East Coast of the United States with over 50 deaths attributed to the system in the United States. The remnants of Ivan later tracked southwestward over the Atlantic Ocean, across the state of Florida, and then back into the Gulf of Mexico. Once in the Gulf, the system regenerated and made a second landfall in Cameron Parish, LA as a minimal tropical storm with maximum winds estimated at 40 miles per hour. Initial estimates of insured damage losses from Ivan range from 3-6 billion dollars, bringing the total damage estimate to between 6-12 billion dollars.

Hurricane Jeanne made landfall late on September 25 on the southern part of Hutchinson Island, Florida as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds estimated at 120 miles per hour. Jeanne was the fourth hurricane to affect the state of Florida in a span of six weeks. Nine deaths have been reported in the United States from this hurricane, and initial estimates of insured damage range from 4-8 billion dollars according to Risk Management Solutions. This puts estimated total damage between 8-16 billion dollars. In addition, Jeanne was responsible for between 1500-2000 deaths along the northern coast of Haiti.