Anyone like hurricanes?

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[size=[18]Preliminary report[/size]

[size=18Hurricane Charley[/size]

Aug 9-15, 2004

Tom Smugala

Midwest Hurricane Center

Hurricane Charley was a category five hurricane on the Saffir/Simpson hurricane scale that made landfall along north Captiva Island in Southwest Florida on the Afternoon of August 13 and caused devestating damage in Charlotte County and surronding areas. Preliminary figures show damage to be at least 30 billion dollars along with estimated 25 fatalities.

History.



Charley formed from a westward moving tropical wave on August 9th about 100 miles east of the Winward Islands. Charley moved at a very fast speed to just south of Jamacia on the 11th as a hurricane and made landfall early on the 13th near Playa Del Cajio with sustained winds estimated at 120 mph. Charley weakend to a category two hurricane with sustained winds of 110mph while moving over western Cuba and moved over the Dry Tortugas while once again becoming a major hurricane. It's estimated around noon eastern time Charley became a category 4 hurricane with sustained winds around 135mph. Over the next several hours leading to landfall Charley based on radar and satellite continued to rapidly intensify and around 3pm edt right before first landfall on Captiva Island it's estimated that Charley hit category 5 status with sustained winds of 160mph in a very narrow area around the eye. Around 430 pm edt the eye of Charley made second landfall near Punta Gorda with sustained winds around 150 mph. Hurricane force sustained winds extended about 35 miles from the center with hurricane force gust extending about 60 miles from the center. Widespread damage occured in Lee, Charlotte, and Desoto counties. Minor damage was also noted in Collier county. The most severe damage occured in Costal Lee county and Charlotte counties. Severe Damage occured on captiva Island as Charley made landfall at peak intensity. Storm surge is only estimated at around 10 feet cause of the northest movement of the storm prevented a more severe surge. Most buildings on Captiva island sustained Severe damage. A inlet a couple hundred yards wide also cut thru the island. Damage in the Charlotte County area was more severe due to mobile homes and older buildings. Most buildings in the landfall zone in Charlotte county sustained Severe or total damage from the winds. Most mobile homes were destroyed along with many roofs missing off busnisses and homes. Charlotte Regional Medical Center sustained Severe damage along with the Charlotte County Sherffis dept building was destroyed. As Charley moved inland Severe damage was also noted in Arcadia where winds estimated around 140mph caused devestation and blew the roof of a shelter off. later in the night Charley passed over Orlando Florida where wind gust of over 100mph occured causing widespread power outages and damage. As Charley exited Florida just off Daytona beach with sustained winds estimated at 80mph Charley made landfall again on Midday on the 14th near Cape Ramin in South Carolina with sustained winds of 80mph. The center moved offshore once again and made landfall near Myrtle Beach with sustained winds of 80mph. Charley then moved over North carolina and Virgina where he became Extra Tropical and became intrained with a frontal system over New England.

I wish I was in Florida for Charly. I would have went and chase Charley and stand in it.

...and get injured and possible even die?

I love weather!

Hurricanes I find very interesting, but a a great intrest yet a great fear of mine is a tornado.

I read up alot about weather, and used to have a huge poster about different types of clouds

I am obcessed with the weather - and, while I am very scared of encountering a tornado in my house, I think it would be fun to go out tornado chasing with someone who knows what they are doing . . . apparently tornados follow pretty fixed paths if you are a moving object it is not difficult to stay out of their way . . .