One year ago today friday the 13th 2004 a long tragic day

[Jim Cantore]

We all know what happened on friday the 13th of august 2004

Hurricane Charley slammed into Punta Gorda Florida much stronger then expected

the area was flattened as we know

about now Charley was a cat 2 (officially it was but I believe it was stronger by a bit) slamming into the western parts of cuba

It was seemingly on a collision course for Tampa in which if it followed it would have possibly been andrew all over again

Although it didn't people can say it was bad enough to earn it's place with the classic storms like andrew and camille

[Anonymous]

Yes, Charley was 150 mph...it would have reached Category 5 intensity just as it would have hit Tampa. Tampa was about 3 hours away...3 hours was plenty of time.

[Anonymous]

We all know what happened on friday the 13th of august 2004

Hurricane Charley slammed into Punta Gorda Florida much stronger then expected

the area was flattened as we know

about now Charley was a cat 2 (officially it was but I believe it was stronger by a bit) slamming into the western parts of cuba

It was seemingly on a collision course for Tampa in which if it followed it would have possibly been andrew all over again

Although it didn't people can say it was bad enough to earn it's place with the classic storms like andrew and camille

Charley was 105 kt (120 mph) in Cuba due to extensive damage there.

[wxmann_91]

No.

Charley was one of those "classic" Gulf storms. Look at Lili, Ivan, Opal, Dennis, etc. The fact is that shortwave troughs that dig down and pick these up usually enhance outflow in the beginning (thus allowing those storms to undergo rapid strengthening), but, as the shear that enhances outflow reaches the storm, the storm suddenly weakens. So, Charley probably peaked or could've climbed just a bit higher, but not to Cat 5, and had it made landfall to the north, the shear would've begun to impact it.

Then again, we might never know. But it's good to speculate.

[Anonymous]

No.

Charley was one of those "classic" Gulf storms. Look at Lili, Ivan, Opal, Dennis, etc. The fact is that shortwave troughs that dig down and pick these up usually enhance outflow in the beginning (thus allowing those storms to undergo rapid strengthening), but, as the shear that enhances outflow reaches the storm, the storm suddenly weakens. So, Charley probably peaked or could've climbed just a bit higher, but not to Cat 5, and had it made landfall to the north, the shear would've begun to impact it.

Then again, we might never know. But it's good to speculate.

It was 6 mph away from Cat 5.

[Weatherman911]

I agree with Floydbuster. Hurricane Charley was only 5 mph from a cat 5.

[Sanibel]

Charley had bottomed-out in pressure. 941 isn't enough for category 5.

[Jim Cantore]

It would have been cat 5

data shows winds might have already been but if it hit tampa andrew may be number two on costliest storm

[Jim Cantore]

And in 10 minutes it will be one year ago to the moment that we heard the shocking news that our 110mph cat 2 was a 145mph cat 4 and it's track had shifted further south

[Derek Ortt]

very unlikely it would have become any stronger. It hit likely at maximum intensity

Wind shear was significantly increasing at the time of landfall, dry air was starting to work its way into the citculation, and an outer eye wall was forming. 3-5 more hours likely would have resulted in a cat 3 landfall, not a cat 5


Also, Charley is NOT a Classic Gulf Hurricane. The WC of Florida, as I have said many times, is considered to be a part of the East Coast for Climo purposes (the entire Florida Penunsula is considered as the East Coast as Climo records sugests that the pattern of hits there is the same as the EC, which is totally different from the rest of the GOM)

[Weatherman911]

This is a local newspaper on-line for SW FL.
_______________________________

The News-Press, Hurricane Charley

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 30527/1053

[Weatherman911]

(snip)
FRIDAY, AUG. 13
Charley bobbed and weaved for a bit. Weather Service forecasters predicted it would pass us about 70 miles out in the Gulf, far enough away to barely brush us with winds and rain. The weather was supposed to be modest by comparison. But then local TV weather forecasters broke with the official forecast. Charley is turning ever so slightly, they said, headed for landfall nearby.

By the time Charley screamed onto land at 3:45 p.m. he had grown from a Category 3 to a Category 4, packing winds of 145 miles per hour.

Charley struck fast and ran. The wind swirled around us. The Gulf waters surged toward the shore and the skies darkened. People tried to peek outside as the storm passed, but afterwinds kept them homebound or shelter-bound into the evening. Those away from homes didn't know how hard they had been hit.

We were hit hard on many fronts. But the big horror was Charlotte County. Hardly anyone had power - about 90 percent of the homes in Lee County were dark and hot." Wind peeled the roof off mobile homes and rain took the belongings.

It is an overused term, but, let's be honest - it looked like a war zone.
(/snip)

[Sanibel]

Exactly 1 year ago this minute the winds were starting to blast the house...

[Sanibel]

Now the lanai is ripped away and the kitchen window is blown in.

The trees are down in the driveway and the neighbors tin is gone from their roof.

People who stayed on Sanibel/Captiva are wondering if they are going to die...

[Jim Cantore]

[img]Charley was 105 kt (120 mph) in Cuba due to extensive damage there[/img]

wind and damage observations agree I thought 105 seemed a bit low for that

[Jim Cantore]

[img]Charley was 105 kt (120 mph) in Cuba due to extensive damage there[/img]

wind and damage observations agree I thought 105 seemed a bit low for that

[Josephine96]

1 year ago right now.. I was still "hunkered down".. scared out of my life.. though I wouldn't admit it..

The winds were starting to die down here already I think.. but the power was out.. I had been hunkered down in a bathroom for over an hour.. praying as I had heard things slamming against the house, things getting ripped off my house.. and praying for no windows to break or for the roof not to be ripped off..

[boca]

The amazing thing about Charley was that In Fort Lauderdale which is 130 miles SE of Punta Gorda was sunny with a 20mph winds.