KATRINA and RITA 2004 HURRICANES and TROPICAL STORMS PROJECTIONS, FORECASTS, ACTUAL TRACKS, IMAGES and MAPS of: ALEX  BONNIE  CHARLEY  DANIELLE  EARL  FRANCES GASTON HERMINE  IVAN  JEANNE  KARL  LISA  MATTHEW  NICOLE  PICTURES OF DEVASTATION: CHARLEY  FRANCES  IVAN  JEANNE MISSISSIPPI RIVER FLOODS 2004  ATLANTIC  STORM  SUMMARIES HURRICANES     TROPICAL STORMS   (maximum storm strength*)   dates,  storm details in brief ALEX (3*): July 31-Aug. 6; 121 mph; crossed North Carolina's Outter Banks early, then out to sea.                           BONNIE: Aug. 3-12; 63 mph; heavy rains over Florida's Panhandle and Georgia. CHARLEY (4*): Aug. 9-15; 144 mph; ravaged Central Florida, continued near-shore to Cape Cod. DANIELLE (2*): Aug. 13-21; 103 mph; formed Eastern Atlantic, headed north, did not make landfall.                   EARL: Aug. 13-18; 46 mph; died westbound in Caribbean, did not make landfall. FRANCES (4*): Aug. 25-Sep. 7; 145 mph; extensive damage to Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.                 GASTON: Aug. 27-Sep. 1; 69 mph; extensive flooding of Carolinas and Virgina.                   HERMINE: Aug. 29-31; 52 mph; across Cape Cod, Massachusetts, light damage. IVAN (4*): Sep. 2-17; 140 mph, landed Florida Panhandle, LARGEST HURRICANE of 2004 Season.** JEANNE (3*): Sep. 14-29; 115 mph, FRANCES' path, extensive wind and flood damage Eastern U.S. KARL (3*): Sep 16-27; 126 mph, a large and powerful Mid-Atlantic hurricane, did not make landfall. LISA (1*): Sep. 20-Oct 3; 75 mph; formed near and below Karl, tracked northward for nearly 2 weeks.                     MATTHEW: Oct. 8-12; 56 mph; formed in the Gulf, landed then soaked MidWest.                     NICOLE: Oct. 10-12; 56 mph; formed near Bermuda, tracked northwestward, died. * The Saffir-Simpson Scale of Hurricane Strength (click this link for a dramatic visual illustration) is used to estimate potential property damage and coastal flooding. The scale is determined by wind speed since storm surge sizes depend on the slope of the continental shelf. Category 1: Winds 74-95 mph. Storm surge 4 to 5 feet above normal. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery and trees. Some damage to poorly constructed signs and piers. Category 2: Winds 96-110 mph. Storm surge 6 to 8 feet above normal. Some roof, door and window damage of buildings. Considerable damage to mobile homes, small watercraft, trees, poorly constructed signs and piers. Flooding of coastal and low-lying areas. Category 3: Winds 111-130 mph. Storm surge 9 to 12 feet above normal. Some structural damage to small residences. Mobile homes destroyed and large trees blown down. Coastal flooding destroys smaller structures and floating debris damages larger structures. Terrain lower than 5 feet above sea level may flood as far as 8 miles inland. Category 4: Winds 131-155 mph. Storm surge 13 to 18 feet above normal. Wall failures and roof collapses on small residences, and extensive damage to doors and windows. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Major coastal flooding damage. Category 5: Winds greater than 155 mph. Storm surge greater than 18 feet above normal. Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Smaller buildings and mobile homes blown over or completely blown away. Major damage to lower floors of all structures less than 15 feet above sea level and within 500 yards of the shoreline.   ** Ivan caused deaths in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Carolinas, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut Hurricane Season Links 2004 Hurricanes Lead Record Disaster Year For FEMA Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency reported unprecedented damage from hurricanes... the most for a single year in nearly a decade. CNN.com - Hurricane Season 2004 Forecasters predict an above-normal 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. Find news reports, science articles, safety tips, and a glossary of terms. Florida's Coming Hurricane Calamities Florida's 25 year switching between active and quiet hurricane eras is due to a natural fluctuation of the water temperatures and atmospheric conditions governed by the Atlantic Ocean. Florida EXPLORES! - 2004 Atlantic Hurricane Season Florida State University offers this meteorology resource, which includes the FSU Guide to Tropical Weather Data Products, an introduction for the casual or novice user. Archive of Past Hurricane Seasons The National Hurricane Center's Tropical Cyclone Reports contain comprehensive information on each storm; including synoptic history, meteorological statistics, casualties and damages, and the post-analysis best track. Hurricane Data Links National Hurricane Center - Tropical Prediction Center Atlantic Satellite Imagery Page - National Weather Service U.S. Navy Tropoical Cyclone Page - NOGAPS, Charts and Images National Center for Atmospheric Research - GFS, RUC, ETA & MM5 Experimental Weather Forecasts from FSU - AVN, CMC, GFDL and UKM