2004 Atlantic hurricane season
| 2004 Atlantic hurricane season |
Season summary map
|
| Seasonal boundaries |
| First system formed |
July 31, 2004 (2004-07-31)
|
| Last system dissipated |
December 3, 2004 (2004-12-03)
|
| Strongest storm |
|
| Name |
Ivan |
| • Maximum winds |
165 mph (270 km/h)
(1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure |
910 mbar (hPa; 26.87 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics |
| Total depressions |
16 |
| Total storms |
15 |
| Hurricanes |
9 |
Major hurricanes
(Cat. 3+) |
6 |
| Total fatalities |
>3,270 |
| Total damage |
$57.37 billion (2004 USD) |
| Related articles |
|
|
Atlantic hurricane seasons
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
|
| Category 3 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 31 – August 6 |
| Peak intensity |
120 mph (195 km/h) (1-min) 957 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 3 – August 13 |
| Peak intensity |
65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min) 1001 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 9 – August 14 |
| Peak intensity |
150 mph (240 km/h) (1-min) 941 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 13 – August 21 |
| Peak intensity |
110 mph (175 km/h) (1-min) 964 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 13 – August 15 |
| Peak intensity |
50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 1009 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 24 – September 8 |
| Peak intensity |
145 mph (230 km/h) (1-min) 935 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 27 – September 1 |
| Peak intensity |
75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min) 985 mbar (hPa) |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 27 – August 31 |
| Peak intensity |
60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min) 1002 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 5 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 2 – September 24 |
| Peak intensity |
165 mph (270 km/h) (1-min) 910 mbar (hPa) |
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest Atlantic hurricane season on record until surpassed by the following year. More than half of the 16 tropical cyclones brushed or struck the United States. The season officially began on June 1, and ended on November 30. Due to a Modoki El Niño – a rare type of El Niño in which unfavorable conditions are produced over the eastern Pacific instead of the Atlantic basin due to warmer sea surface temperatures farther west along the equatorial Pacific – activity was above average. The first storm, Alex, developed offshore of the Southeastern United States on July 31. It brushed the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic, causing one death and $7.5 million (2004 USD) in damage. Several storms caused only minor damage, including tropical storms Bonnie, Earl, Hermine, and Matthew. In addition, hurricanes Danielle, Karl, and Lisa, Tropical Depression Ten, Subtropical Storm Nicole and Tropical Storm Otto had no effect on land while tropical cyclones.
Hurricane Charley made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS), causing $15.1 billion in damage in the United States alone. Later in August, Hurricane Frances struck the Bahamas and Florida, causing at least 49 deaths and $9.5 billion in damage. The most intense storm, and the one that caused the most damage, was Hurricane Ivan. It was a Category 5 hurricane that devastated multiple countries adjacent to the Caribbean Sea, before entering the Gulf of Mexico and causing catastrophic destruction on the Gulf Coast of the United States, especially Alabama and Florida. Throughout the countries it passed through, Ivan left 129 fatalities and over $23.33 billion in damage. The most significant tropical cyclone in terms of deaths was Hurricane Jeanne. In Haiti, torrential rainfall in the mountainous areas resulted in mudslides and severe flooding, causing at least 3,006 fatalities. Jeanne also struck Florida, inflicting extensive destruction. Overall, the storm caused at least $8.1 billion in damage and 3,042 deaths.
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