Hurricane Karl (2004)

Hurricane Karl

Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Karl intensifying in the open Atlantic Ocean on September 19
Formed	September 16, 2004
Dissipated	September 28, 2004
(Extratropical after September 25, 2004)
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 145 mph (230 km/h)
Lowest pressure	938 mbar (hPa); 27.7 inHg
Fatalities	None
Damage	None
Areas affected	Faroe Islands, Norway
Part of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Karl was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane during the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the eleventh named storm, eighth hurricane and sixth major hurricane of the 2004 season. Karl formed on September 16, originating from a strong tropical wave that emerged off Africa. It rapidly intensified, becoming a major hurricane on two occasions. Karl peaked as a strong Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale on September 21 with 145 mph (230 km/h) winds. It weakened as it moved northward, becoming extratropical on September 24 in the north Atlantic and becoming absorbed by another system on September 28. The extratropical storm affected the Faroe Islands, but no damage was reported there, nor were there any fatalities.

Karl originated in a strong tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on September 13. The wave gradually became better organized, and it was declared Tropical Depression Twelve about 670 miles (1,080 km) west-southwest of the Cape Verde islands on the morning of September 16, as it headed westward in the open tropical Atlantic following the periphery of the subtropical ridge. That afternoon, the depression continued to rapidly organize and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Karl. Due to healthy outflow around an upper-level anticyclone over Karl and a favorable environment with the warmest sea surface temperatures of the year, rapid deepening began on the evening of September 17, with the storm developing a small eye and being upgraded to Hurricane Karl. With water around 28°C (83°F) and low wind shear, the cyclone continued to rapidly intensify on the morning of September 18. The intensity leveled off somewhat that afternoon as a strong Category 2 hurricane with winds of 110 mph (175 km/h).