Hurricane Frances
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2008-07-10T01:33:42Z
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Hurricane Frances (Update Edition)
{{dablink|This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 2004; for other storms of the same name, see [[Hurricane Frances (disambiguation)]]}}
{{Infobox Hurricane
| Name=Hurricane Frances
| Type=hurricane
| Year=2004
| Basin=Atl
| Image location=Frances 2004 near Hispaniola.jpg
| Image name=Hurricane Frances as a Category 4 hurricane
| Formed=[[August 24]], [[2004]]
| Dissipated=[[September 10]], [[2004]]
| 1-min winds=125
| Pressure=935
| Damages=12000
| Inflated=2
| Fatalities=7 direct, 42 indirect
| Areas=[[British Virgin Islands]], [[Puerto Rico]], [[U.S. Virgin Islands]], [[Turks and Caicos Islands]], [[Bahamas|The Bahamas]], [[Florida]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[North Carolina|North]] and [[South Carolina]], [[Ohio]], and other [[U.S. states|states]], southeast [[Canada]]
| Hurricane season=[[2004 Atlantic hurricane season]]
}}
'''Hurricane Frances''' was the sixth named [[tropical cyclone|storm]], the fourth [[tropical cyclone|hurricane]], and the third major hurricane of the [[2004 Atlantic hurricane season]]. The storm's maximum sustained wind speeds were 145 [[Miles per hour|mph]] (230 km/h), giving it a strength of Category 4 on the [[Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale]]. The [[eye (cyclone)|eye]] passed over [[San Salvador Island]] and very close to [[Cat Island, Bahamas|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 [[United States|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 (U.S. state)|Georgia]] as a [[tropical depression]], and northeast along the spine of the [[Appalachians]].
==Storm history==
{{storm path|Frances 2004 track.png}}
A strong tropical wave moved off the west coast of [[Africa]] on [[August 21]].<ref name="TWO1">{{Cite web|author=Lawrence|title=TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK|publisher=NHC|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-28|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/text/TWOAT/2004/TWOAT.200408210913}}</ref> Under the influence of a subtropical ridge,<ref name="tropdis1">{{Cite web|author=Beven|title=Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #3|publisher=NHC|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-29|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al062004.discus.003.shtml?}}</ref> it moved westward for several days, remaining disorganized despite favorable conditions.<ref name="TWO3">{{Cite web|author=Stewart|title=TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK|publisher=NHC|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-28|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/text/TWOAT/2004/TWOAT.200408231502}}</ref> Thunderstorms associated with the wave finally began organizing early on [[August 24]],<ref name="TWO2">{{Cite web|author=Avila|title=TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK|publisher=NHC|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-28|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/text/TWOAT/2004/TWOAT.200408240911}}</ref> and the system became a [[Tropical Cyclone|tropical depression]] that evening.<ref name="pubadv1">{{Cite web|author=Pasch|title=NHC Public Advisory #1|publisher=NHC|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-28|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/pub/al062004.public.001.shtml?}}</ref> Good upper-level outflow was observed in all but the eastern quadrants as the depression continued on its path,<ref name="tropdis2">{{Cite web|author=Pasch|title=Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #2|publisher=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-29|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al062004.discus.001.shtml?}}</ref> and it strengthened to tropical storm status on [[August 25]], approximately {{convert|1420|mi|km}} east of the [[Lesser Antilles]].<ref name="pubadv4">{{Cite web|author=Beven|title=NHC Public Advisory #4|publisher=NHC|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-28|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/pub/al062004.public.004.shtml?}}</ref>
Frances briefly ceased strengthening,<ref name="tropdis3">{{Cite web|author=Pasch|title=Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #5|publisher=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-29|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al062004.discus.005.shtml?}}</ref> but began intensifying on [[August 26]] in a low shear environment as it turned to the west-northwest.<ref name="tropdis4">{{Cite web|author=Avila|title=Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #6|publisher=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-29|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al062004.discus.006.shtml?}}</ref> It moved steadily west-northwestward and rapidly intensified, developing an eye and reaching hurricane strength late that afternoon.<ref name="tropdis5">{{Cite web|author=Stewart|title=Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #8|publisher=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-29|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al062004.discus.008.shtml?}}</ref> Frances began moving northwest, under the influence of an upper trough, on [[August 27]].<Ref name="tropdis6">{{Cite web|author=Stewart|title=Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #12|publisher=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-30|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al062004.discus.012.shtml?}}</ref> An upper level anticyclone developed over the system, providing excellent outflow, and Frances continued to strengthen, reaching a peak intensity of {{convert|135|mi/h|km/h}} on [[August 28]].<ref name="tropdis5">{{Cite web|author=Stewart|title=Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #16|publisher=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-30|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al062004.discus.016.shtml?}}</ref> 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.<ref name="tropdis7">{{Cite web|author=Avila|title=Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #19|publisher=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|accessdate=2008-05-30|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al062004.discus.012.shtml?}}</ref>
Over the next day, the hurricane underwent an [[Eyewall Replacement Cycle|eyewall replacement cycle]], during which the maximum sustained winds decreased to {{convert|115|mi/h|km/h}}.<ref name="TCR">{{Cite web|author=Beven|title=Hurricane Frances Tropical Cyclone Report|publisher=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|accessdate=2008-06-01|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004frances.shtml?}}</ref> 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.<ref name="tropdis8">{{Cite web|author=Pasch|title=Hurricane Frances Forecast Discussion #24|publisher=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|accessdate=2008-06-01|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al062004.discus.024.shtml?}}</ref> The storm continued strengthening as it turned west-northwestward, reaching its peak intensity of {{convert|145|mi/h|km/h}} on [[August 2]] while {{convert|555|mi|km|}} east-southeast of [[West Palm Beach, Florida]].<ref name="tropdis9">{{Cite web|author=Beven|title=Hurricane Frances Public Advisory #33A|publisher=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|accessdate=2008-06-01|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/pub/al062004.public_a.033.shtml?}}</ref>
[[Image:Hurricane Frances, September 2nd.jpg|right|thumb|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, Bahamas|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<ref>[http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al062004.discus.036.shtml Hurricane FRANCES<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>,but increasing westerly shear was later determined to be the cause.<ref>[http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004frances.shtml NHC Tropical Cyclone Report<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
[[Image:Hurricane Frances from the ISS - 10AM. EDT AUG 27 2004.jpg|thumb|left|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 Islands|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.
[[Image:Hurricane Frances 5 Sep 2004.jpg|thumb|Frances making landfall on [[Hutchinson Island]] near [[Sewall's Point, Florida]], on September 5, 2004|right]]
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, Florida|Fort Pierce]] and [[West Palm Beach, Florida|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, Florida|Sewall's Point]], [[Port Saint Lucie, Florida|Port Saint Lucie]], [[Stuart, Florida|Stuart]], [[Jensen Beach, Florida|Jensen Beach]] and [[Port Salerno, Florida]].
Late on [[September 5]], it picked up speed and crossed the [[Florida|Florida Peninsula]], emerging over the [[Gulf of Mexico]] near [[Tampa, Florida|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 [[U.S. Southern states|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 [[Canada|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]], [[John F. Kennedy Space Center|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==
[[Image:frances2004rain.gif|thumb|right| 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 (U.S. state)|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.<ref>Guy Carpenter. [http://www.guycarp.com/portal/extranet/pdf/GCBriefings/Property_2004CaribbeanHurricanes.pdf Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan & Jeanne Caribbean Impact.] Retrieved on [[2007-04-08]].</ref> 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.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}
===Florida===
[[Image:20040908-12 florida1-4-515h.jpg|right|thumb|President [[George W. Bush]] helps deliver water at a relief center in [[Ft. Pierce, Florida]].]]
[[Image:Vehicle Assembly Building damage from Hurricane Frances night view.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[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 {{convert|13|in|mm}} of rain during the slow onslaught.<ref>David Roth. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/frances2004.html Hurricane Frances Rainfall.] Retrieved on [[2007-04-08]].</ref> 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.<ref>CNN. [http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/09/06/nasa.frances.cnn/index.html Frances tears panels from NASA shuttle hangar.] Retrieved on [[2007-04-08]].</ref> 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 —<ref>WDWmagic.com. [http://www.wdwmagic.com/whatsnew_2004.htm What's New Archive 2004.] Retrieved on [[2007-04-08]].</ref> only the third time [[Walt Disney World]] closed for a hurricane, but the second time in a month.{{Fact|date=April 2007}} 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 Carolina|North]] and [[South Carolina]]. The passage of tropical depression Frances into Georgia dumped up to {{convert|5|in|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 {{convert|23|in|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 [[tornado]]es from [[Florida]] to as far north as [[Virginia]], shy of the single storm tornado record set during [[Hurricane Beulah]].<ref name="TCR">John L. Beven II. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL062004_Frances.pdf Hurricane Frances.] Retrieved on [[2007-04-08]].</ref>
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$8,830,000,000 (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$9 billion (2004 dollars), making it the fourth costliest hurricane in United States history at that time, behind [[Hurricane Andrew]] of 1992 and Hurricanes [[Hurricane Charley|Charley]] and [[Hurricane Ivan|Ivan]] of 2004.<ref name="TCR">John L. Beven II. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL062004_Frances.pdf Hurricane Frances.] Retrieved on [[2007-04-08]].</ref> At the time, adjusted for inflation, it became the seventh costliest hurricane for the lower 48 [[United States]].<ref>National Hurricane Center. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gifs/table3b.gif Table 3b. The thirty costliest mainland United States tropical cyclones, 1900-2004.] Retrieved on [[2007-04-08]].</ref>
===Canada===
As an extratropical storm, Frances passed through southern [[Ontario]]. The storm dropped up to 5.39 inches/137 mm rainfall,<ref>Environment Canada Weather Statement. [http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/announce.cfm?ID=693&Lang=e Ontario Weather Review - September 2004.] Retrieved on [[2007-04-08]].</ref> washing out roads and causing localized flooding in [[Quebec]], [[New Brunswick]], and [[Newfoundland and Labrador|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]].<ref>[[World Meteorological Organization]]. [http://www.wmo.ch/pages/prog/www/TCP_vO/Final%20HC%2027%20Report-English.pdf Twenty-Seventh Session RA-IV Hurricane Committee.] Retrieved on [[2007-04-08]].</ref>
===Retirement===
{{seealso|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 Atlantic hurricane season|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,<ref>[[World Meteorological Organization]]. [http://web.archive.org/web/20060927111817/http://www.wmo.int/web/www/TCP/Reports/HC-25FinalReport-eng.pdf RA IV Hurricane Committee: Final Report of the Twenty-Fifth Session.] Retrieved on [[2007-04-08]] via [[Wayback Machine]].</ref> but the destruction caused by Frances was cause enough for retirement on its own merit.
==See also==
{{tcportal}}
* [[List of Atlantic hurricanes]]
* [[List of Florida hurricanes (2000-present)]]
* [[List of retired Atlantic hurricane names]]
* [[Hurricane Frances tornado outbreak]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Hurricane Frances}}
* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004frances.shtml? NHC Tropical Cyclone Report on Hurricane Frances]
* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/refresh/FRANCES+shtml/ NHC advisory archive on Hurricane Frances]
* [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/frances2004.html HPC rainfall report on Frances]
* [http://www.myflorida.com/myflorida/frances_preparedness.html State of Florida - Hurricane Frances preparedness]
* [http://floridadisaster.org/eoc/frances04.asp Florida Division of Emergency Management - Hurricane Frances]
* [http://www.weatherusa.net/blog/ Hurricane news coverage and resources]
{{Retired Atlantic hurricanes}}
{{2004 Atlantic hurricane season buttons}}
[[Category:2004 Atlantic hurricane season|Frances]]
[[Category:2004 meteorology]]
[[Category:Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes|Frances (2004)]]
[[Category:Retired Atlantic hurricanes|Frances]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in the United States|Frances]]
[[Category:Florida hurricanes|Frances]]
[[Category:F2 tornadoes]]
[[es:Huracán Frances]]
[[fr:Ouragan Frances]]
[[pt:Furacão Frances]]
[[fi:Hurrikaani Frances]]