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Hurricane Charley (2004)

Hurricane Charley was a Category 4 hurricane at its peak, with 150 mph winds and a lowest pressure of 941 mb, per NOAA's National Hurricane Center. Modeled winds reached tropical-storm force (39 mph) at 11 of the cities we track; the strongest was Cape Coral, FL, with a modeled peak gust of 136 mph.

Peak strength150 mph winds (1-minute)
Category 4
Cities with tropical-storm-force windsModeled, of the cities we track
11
LandfallsFirst August 13, 2004
5
Lowest pressure
941 mb

Track, wind field and cities

Select a piece of the track or a city for details.

  • Depression or weaker
  • Tropical storm
  • Hurricane, Category 1 or 2
  • Major hurricane, Category 3 to 5
  • Landfall
  • City (larger ring, stronger modeled gust)
  • Modeled wind field, 39 to 111 mph sustained (darker, stronger; orange 111 mph+)
Source: NOAA/NWS National Hurricane Center best track (HURDAT2). City winds and the wind field are modeled.

The shaded areas are where our model puts Hurricane Charley’s sustained winds over open land at 39 mph or more (tropical-storm force), 58, 74 (hurricane force) and 111 mph (major hurricane force) at some point along its track. Modeled, not measured. How we model hurricane winds

Landfalls

  1. August 13, 2004, Category 3 at 121 mph, in Cuba
  2. August 13, 2004, Category 4 at 150 mph, about 13 miles from Cape Coral, FL
  3. August 13, 2004, Category 4 at 144 mph, about 12 miles from North Port, FL
  4. August 14, 2004, Category 1 at 81 mph, about 35 miles from Charleston, SC
  5. August 14, 2004, Category 1 at 75 mph, about 12 miles from Myrtle Beach, SC

Modeled winds at cities (11)

Estimated peak winds for open, flat ground at each city’s center. Not measurements. How we model hurricane winds

CityPeak gustSustainedClosest passPeak
Cape Coral, FL136 mph111 mph11 milesAug 13, 2004, 4:00 PM EDT
North Port, FL93 mph75 mph10 milesAug 13, 2004, 5:15 PM EDT
Orlando, FL87 mph70 mph8 milesAug 13, 2004, 9:00 PM EDT
Deltona, FL80 mph65 mph4 milesAug 13, 2004, 10:00 PM EDT
Wilmington, NC71 mph58 mph22 milesAug 14, 2004, 1:30 PM EDT
Lakeland, FL69 mph56 mph20 milesAug 13, 2004, 7:45 PM EDT
Naples, FL63 mph51 mph34 milesAug 13, 2004, 3:00 PM EDT
Myrtle Beach, SC58 mph47 mph6 milesAug 14, 2004, 12:00 PM EDT
Virginia Beach, VA54 mph44 mph3 milesAug 14, 2004, 7:30 PM EDT
Palm Bay, FL52 mph42 mph57 milesAug 13, 2004, 9:30 PM EDT
Charleston, SC48 mph39 mph28 milesAug 14, 2004, 10:00 AM EDT

What happened

After crossing western Cuba, Charley strengthened quickly and made landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida, just north of Captiva, at about 3:45 p.m. EDT on August 13, 2004, as a Category 4 hurricane with 130-knot (150 mph) winds and a 941 mb central pressure.1 Its small eye passed over Punta Gorda about an hour later with 125-knot (144 mph) winds, and the eyewall struck Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte.1 Charley crossed central Florida near Kissimmee and Orlando, exited near Daytona Beach, and came ashore again near Cape Romain, South Carolina, at about 10 a.m. EDT on August 14 with 70-knot (81 mph) winds, then at North Myrtle Beach at about noon with 65-knot (75 mph) winds.1

NHC describes the wind damage in Charlotte County as catastrophic and reports serious damage well inland across the Florida peninsula.1 The Punta Gorda airport sensor measured a gust of 97 knots (112 mph) before it failed in the eyewall, and Orlando International Airport measured a gust of 91 knots (105 mph).1 A tide gauge in Estero Bay near Fort Myers Beach measured a 4.2-foot surge, and observers estimated 6 to 7 feet on Sanibel and Estero islands.1 Nine tornadoes touched down in Florida, the strongest leaving F1 damage in south Daytona Beach, and another F1 tornado hit Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.1 NHC counts 10 direct and 25 indirect US deaths and puts US damage at $15.1 billion.1

Sources

  1. 1. NOAA National Hurricane Center: Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Charley, 9 to 14 August 2004

Best track (30 positions)

TimeStatusWindPressurePosition
Aug 9, 12:00 UTCTropical depression35 mph1010 mb11.4°N, 59.2°W
Aug 9, 18:00 UTCTropical depression35 mph1009 mb11.7°N, 61.1°W
Aug 10, 00:00 UTCTropical depression35 mph1009 mb12.2°N, 63.2°W
Aug 10, 06:00 UTCTropical storm40 mph1007 mb12.9°N, 65.3°W
Aug 10, 12:00 UTCTropical storm46 mph1004 mb13.8°N, 67.6°W
Aug 10, 18:00 UTCTropical storm52 mph1000 mb14.9°N, 69.8°W
Aug 11, 00:00 UTCTropical storm63 mph999 mb15.6°N, 71.8°W
Aug 11, 06:00 UTCTropical storm63 mph999 mb16.0°N, 73.7°W
Aug 11, 12:00 UTCTropical storm69 mph995 mb16.3°N, 75.4°W
Aug 11, 18:00 UTCCategory 1 hurricane75 mph993 mb16.7°N, 76.8°W
Aug 12, 00:00 UTCCategory 1 hurricane75 mph992 mb17.4°N, 78.1°W
Aug 12, 06:00 UTCCategory 1 hurricane86 mph988 mb18.2°N, 79.3°W
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