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Hurricane Frances

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This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 2004; for other storms of the same name, see Hurricane Frances (disambiguation)
Hurricane Frances
Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Frances as a Category 4 hurricane
FormedAugust 24, 2004
DissipatedSeptember 10, 2004
Highest winds1-minute sustained: 145 mph (230 km/h)
Lowest pressure935 mbar (hPa); 27.61 inHg
Fatalities7 direct, 42 indirect
Damage$12 billion (2004 USD)
Areas affectedBritish Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Ohio, and other states, southeast Canada
Part of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Frances was the sixth named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm's maximum sustained wind speeds were 145 mph (230 km/h), giving it a strength of Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. The eye passed over San Salvador Island and very close to Cat Island in the Bahamas, and its outer bands also affected Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands. Frances then passed over the central sections of the state of Florida in the U.S., moved briefly over the Gulf of Mexico on the other side of Florida, and made a second U.S. landfall at the Florida Panhandle. Frances affected the central regions of Florida just three weeks after Hurricane Charley, before it moved northward into Georgia as a tropical depression, and northeast along the spine of the Appalachians.

Storm history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

A strong tropical wave moved off the west coast of Africa on August 21.[1] Under the influence of a subtropical ridge,[2] it moved westward for several days, remaining disorganized despite favorable conditions.[3] Thunderstorms associated with the wave finally began organizing early on August 24,[4] and the system became a tropical depression that evening.[5] Good upper-level outflow was observed in all but the eastern quadrants as the depression continued on its path,[6] and it strengthened to tropical storm status on August 25, approximately 1,420 miles (2,290 km) east of the Lesser Antilles.[7]

Frances briefly ceased strengthening,[8] but began intensifying on August 26 in a low shear environment as it turned to the west-northwest.[9] It moved steadily west-northwestward and rapidly intensified, developing an eye and reaching hurricane strength late that afternoon.[10] Frances began moving northwest, under the influence of an upper trough, on August 27.[11] An upper level anticyclone developed over the system, providing excellent outflow, and Frances continued to strengthen, reaching a peak intensity of 135 miles per hour (217 km/h) on August 28.[10] The hurricane turned back to its original westward motion on August 29, as the trough left the area and the subtropical ridge strengthened to Frances' north.[12]

Over the next day, the hurricane underwent an eyewall replacement cycle, during which the maximum sustained winds decreased to 115 miles per hour (185 km/h).[13] This weakening was short lived, and the storm began to re-intensify during the afternoon of August 30, demonstrating excellent outflow in a low shear environment.[14] The storm continued strengthening as it turned west-northwestward, reaching its peak intensity of 145 miles per hour (233 km/h) on August 2 while 555 miles (893 km) east-southeast of West Palm Beach, Florida.[15]

Hurricane Frances on September 2, 2004, as a Category 4 hurricane

On September 2, Frances struck the Bahamas directly, passing directly over San Salvador Island and very near to Cat Island.The storm moved west northwest and weakened through the day,dropping down to a Category 3 by 2PM.This was initially attributed to inner core processes[16],but increasing westerly shear was later determined to be the cause.[17]

Photo of Hurricane Frances taken by Mike Fincke aboard the International Space Station on August 27, 2004

On September 3, Frances weakened slightly as it passed into the vicinity of Abaco Island and directly over Grand Bahama. The storm weakened from a Category 3 to 2 prior to passing over Grand Bahama and also lessened in forward speed. Parts of South Florida began to be affected by squalls and the outer rainbands of the hurricane at this time. Gusts from 40 mph (60 km/h) to as high as 87 mph (140 km/h) were reported from Jupiter Inlet to Miami.

Frances making landfall on Hutchinson Island near Sewall's Point, Florida, on September 5, 2004

Frances moved slowly, between 5 to 10 mph (8 to 16 km/h), as it crossed the warm Gulf Stream between the Bahamas and Florida, leading to fears it could rapidly restrengthen. It remained stable at Category 2 with 105 mph (170 km/h) maximum sustained winds, though, and battered the east coast of Florida, especially between Fort Pierce and West Palm Beach, for most of September 4. At 11pm, the western edge of Frances's eyewall began moving onshore. Because of Frances's large eye of roughly 80 miles (130 km) across and slow motion, the center of circulation remained offshore for several more hours. At 1 am EDT on September 5 (0500 UTC), the center of the broad eye of Frances finally was over Florida, on Hutchinson Island, near Sewall's Point, Port Saint Lucie, Stuart, Jensen Beach and Port Salerno, Florida.

Late on September 5, it picked up speed and crossed the Florida Peninsula, emerging over the Gulf of Mexico near Tampa as a tropical storm. After a short trip over water, Frances again struck land near St. Marks, Florida. Frances headed inland, weakening to a tropical depression and causing heavy rainfall over the southern and eastern United States. Tropical Depression Frances continued northeast. United States meteorologists at the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center continued issuing advisories on the remnants of Frances until the system crossed the Canadian border into Quebec, where heavy rainfall continued.

Preparations

The insurance industry warned of the potential for catastrophic damage along Florida's heavily-populated east coast. According to a Reuters story, "Investment bank UBS AG warned this latest storm could 'exceed the insured losses of Hurricane Andrew'". Hurricane Andrew was the second most damaging United States hurricane, with insured losses tagged at $20 billion and total losses at $32 billion. However, these damage estimates were in anticipation that Frances would strike Florida as a strong Category Four hurricane. Andrew's damage happened because of winds rather than storm surge even though Andrew came ashore at moderate tide twelve years earlier.

Preparations for the storm were stepped up in Florida on September 1. Governor Jeb Bush declared a state of emergency, Kennedy Space Center closed down, and evacuations of 500,000 people were initially ordered. Eventually 41 counties received evacuation orders, covering 2.8 million residents, the largest evacuation in Florida's history.

The state education system also responded to the pending crisis. Many universities across Florida canceled classes. Both the University of Central Florida and the University of North Florida told all students to leave their dorms. Evacuation at the University of South Florida was performed on a dorm-by-dorm basis. Florida Atlantic University was closed for a week and a half.

Most schools were shut down from southern Miami-Dade County to just south of Melbourne two days before the hurricane.

Impact

Storm total Rainfall from Frances

The economic effect was felt early, as the storm struck during Labor Day weekend, traditionally the final summer vacation weekend in the United States. Many hotel reservations from South Carolina to Florida were cancelled as people, seeing the destruction caused weeks earlier by Hurricane Charley, decided to avoid the coastal areas for safety. One death in the Bahamas, one in Ohio, and five in Florida were directly attributed to the storm. 42 more deaths - 32 in Florida, eight in Georgia, one in the Bahamas and one in Ohio, are indirectly attributed to Frances.

Bahamas

In the Bahamas, insurers and reinsurers estimated industry insured losses at about $300 million.[18] Like with other hurricane-induced damage, to get the total damage in the area, the insured damage is multiplied by a factor of 2, which comes out to $600 million.[citation needed]

Florida

President George W. Bush helps deliver water at a relief center in Ft. Pierce, Florida.
Xenon lights illuminate the 525 ft. (160 m) tall Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Florida where workers make repairs on September 30, 2004.

Some areas of Florida received over 13 inches (330 mm) of rain during the slow onslaught.[19] Similar to Hurricane Charley earlier in the month, the Florida citrus crops took large amounts of damage. Frances caused heavy damage to the large Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center, ripping off over a thousand 4-by-10 foot aluminum panels used to clad the building. While Charley caused $700,000 damage, Frances caused much more. Two external fuel tanks for the space shuttle were in the building but seem undamaged. The Space Shuttle Discovery's hangar was without power.[20] The total damage to space and military facilities around Cape Canaveral, Florida was reported at about $100 million. Orlando, Florida's theme parks closed Sunday —[21] only the third time Walt Disney World closed for a hurricane, but the second time in a month.[citation needed] In the aftermath of the storm, many colleges and school districts remained closed. President George W. Bush declared all of Florida a federal disaster area.

Elsewhere across the United States

Frances dropped significant rain on Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and North and South Carolina. The passage of tropical depression Frances into Georgia dumped up to 5 inches (130 mm) of rain onto the state and caused the closings of schools in 56 counties. Flooding was reported even in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, particularly along the Appalachian Mountains. A strip of upslope-induced rainfall along the Blue Ridge escarpment produced as much as 23 inches (580 mm) of rain in some areas of western North Carolina as the warm tropical air surged up and over the mountains. The flooding from this along the Swannanoa River near Asheville, North Carolina caused a major break in the Asheville's water distribution system, leaving the city without water for several days. Frances also spawned 101 tornadoes from Florida to as far north as Virginia, shy of the single storm tornado record set during Hurricane Beulah.[13] Power outages affected up to six million people. Over 20 airports closed during the storm.

The total civilian damage from Frances was determined to be approximately US$11,830,000,000 (2004 dollars). Add in the estimated US$100 million damage (2004 dollars) done to space and military facilities at Cape Canaveral, Florida and the total damage was estimated to be about US$12 billion (2004 dollars), making it the fourth costliest hurricane in United States history at that time, behind Hurricane Andrew of 1992 and Hurricanes Charley and Ivan of 2004.[13] At the time, adjusted for inflation, it became the seventh costliest hurricane for the lower 48 United States.[22]

Canada

As an extratropical storm, Frances passed through southern Ontario. The storm dropped up to 5.39 inches/137 mm rainfall,[23] washing out roads and causing localized flooding in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. This rainfall smashed all-time rainfall records in a 24-hour period (most of the rain fell in a 6 to 8 hour-period. Ottawa's O-Train transit rail was halted because of a landslide that obstructed the railroad corridor. Several major roads in Gatineau and Ottawa were under several inches of water, locally chest-high. More than $45 million Canadian/US$35 million (2004 dollars) in insured damage was reported in Ontario.[24]

Retirement

See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane names

Because of its effects in the United States, the name Frances was retired in the spring of 2005 by the World Meteorological Organization and will never be used again for an Atlantic hurricane. It was replaced with Fiona for the 2010 season. Initially, the WMO planned to retire the name after the 2004 season anyway, following a request from France during the WMO meeting in spring 2003,[25] but the destruction caused by Frances was cause enough for retirement on its own merit.

See also

Template:Tcportal

References

  1. ^ Lawrence (2004). "TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK". NHC. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  2. ^ Beven (2004). "Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #3". NHC. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
  3. ^ Stewart (2004). "TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK". NHC. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  4. ^ Avila (2004). "TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK". NHC. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  5. ^ Pasch (2004). "NHC Public Advisory #1". NHC. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  6. ^ Pasch (2004). "Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #2". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
  7. ^ Beven (2004). "NHC Public Advisory #4". NHC. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  8. ^ Pasch (2004). "Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #5". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
  9. ^ Avila (2004). "Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #6". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
  10. ^ a b Stewart (2004). "Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #8". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-29. Cite error: The named reference "tropdis5" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  11. ^ Stewart (2004). "Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #12". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
  12. ^ Avila (2004). "Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #19". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
  13. ^ a b c Beven (2004). "Hurricane Frances Tropical Cyclone Report". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-06-01. Cite error: The named reference "TCR" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  14. ^ Pasch (2004). "Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #24". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
  15. ^ Beven (2004). "Hurricane Frances Public Advisory #33A". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
  16. ^ Hurricane FRANCES
  17. ^ NHC Tropical Cyclone Report
  18. ^ Guy Carpenter. Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan & Jeanne Caribbean Impact. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
  19. ^ David Roth. Hurricane Frances Rainfall. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
  20. ^ CNN. Frances tears panels from NASA shuttle hangar. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
  21. ^ WDWmagic.com. What's New Archive 2004. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
  22. ^ National Hurricane Center. Table 3b. The thirty costliest mainland United States tropical cyclones, 1900-2004. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
  23. ^ Environment Canada Weather Statement. Ontario Weather Review - September 2004. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
  24. ^ World Meteorological Organization. Twenty-Seventh Session RA-IV Hurricane Committee. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
  25. ^ World Meteorological Organization. RA IV Hurricane Committee: Final Report of the Twenty-Fifth Session. Retrieved on 2007-04-08 via Wayback Machine.
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