Hurricane Charley

Hurricane Charley was the second hurricane and also the second major hurricane (category 3+) of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. Charley lasted from August 9 to August 15. Its strongest winds were 150 mph (240 km/h), classifying it as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. The storm made landfall in southwestern Florida. It was the strongest hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Andrew, twelve years earlier. In the United States, Charley caused ten deaths and $15.4 billion in damage (2004 USD).

Hurricane Charley
Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Charley 2004-08-13 1635Z.jpg
Hurricane Charley before landfall in Florida
FormedAugust 9, 2004
DissipatedAugust 15, 2004
Highest winds1-minute sustained: 150 mph (240 km/h)
Lowest pressure941 mbar (hPa); 27.79 inHg
Damage$16.3 billion (2004 USD)
Areas affectedJamaica, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina
Part of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season

The destruction from Hurricane Charley

Charley did its damage in a very similar manner to Andrew: high winds caused almost all the damage, and both storms made landfall at low tide, preventing the storm surges from causing damage like they usually do when hurricanes make landfall. Both were compact storms upon landfall.

Hurricane Charley Media

References