Hurricane Charley (9 Aug 2004 – 15 Aug 2004)

Hurricane Charley Path

Hurricane Charley formed in the Caribbean Sea on August 9, 2004, and initially tracked towards Jamaica and Cuba. The storm then turned northward towards Florida. On August 13, hurricane made landfall on the southwestern coast of Florida near Sanibel Island. The storm then continued to move northeastward, causing damage and power outages in areas such as Orlando and Daytona Beach. Hurricane then moved out into the Atlantic Ocean, eventually making landfall in North Carolina before dissipating over the eastern seaboard.

Hurricane Charley Category

Hurricane Charley was a powerful Category 4 hurricane when it made landfall on the southwestern coast of Florida on August 13, 2004. At its peak, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 150 mph and a minimum central pressure of 941 millibars, making it one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the United States at the time.

Damage by Hurricane Charley

Charley caused significant damage in the areas it affected. The storm’s intense winds caused widespread damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure in the affected areas. The storm surge and heavy rainfall associated with Hurricane also caused significant flooding, particularly in coastal areas. In total, hurricane was responsible for 15 fatalities and caused an estimated $16.9 billion in damages, making it one of the most destructive hurricanes to hit the United States.

The storm’s impact prompted significant changes to emergency management practices in the affected areas, including improvements to evacuation procedures and building codes.