AL032004 | 2004 season

Charley

El Nino 4FL impact Cross-Peninsula Track Major Hurricane (Cat 3+) Rapid Intensification

Formed: 2004-08-09
Dissipated: 2004-08-15
Peak wind: 130 kt
Lifetime category: 4
Min pressure: 941 mb (lifetime)
Florida date: 2004-08-13
Approach: gulf
FL regions: SW4 SE1 NE1
Center landfall: yes (2)
ENSO (ASO ONI): +0.70
Peak surge (FL): 7 ft (Sanibel and Estero Islands)

Surge: storm surge, visual estimates, 6-7 ft across the landfall zone. Famously modest for a Cat 4: small, fast-moving storm; highest gauge measurement 4.2 ft at Estero Bay. Source: NHC Tropical Cyclone Report.

Track

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below hurricane strength
Cat 1
Cat 2
Cat 3
Cat 4
Cat 5
first track point
landfall (HURDAT2 L record, colored by intensity there)
Florida-relevant point (strongest fix on the FL impact date)
Florida Straits / Cuba shelf corridor (where track wobble is measured)

HURDAT2 best track. Coastline is stylized for orientation, not a boundary source.

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Intensity

Maximum sustained wind over the storm lifetime, with Saffir-Simpson thresholds and the Florida-relevant date marked. All values from HURDAT2.

Official Sources

NHC Tropical Cyclone Report (PDF, track map inside)

How This Record Was Built

join: name_match | confidence: high | pressure diff: 0mb | enrichment v1.3.0 | status: machine_enriched

Impact facts from the NOAA Continental US Hurricane Impacts table; track and intensity from NOAA HURDAT2; ENSO phase from CPC ONI. Full rules on the methodology page.