Storm Events Database

Event Details:

Event High Wind
Magnitude 60 kts.
State FLORIDA
County/Area OKEECHOBEE
WFO MLB
Report Source NWS STORM SURVEY
NCEI Data Source PDS
Begin Date 2004-09-04 23:06 EST
End Date 2004-09-05 08:00 EST
Deaths Direct/Indirect 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...)
Injuries Direct/Indirect 0/0
Property Damage 1.5M
Crop Damage 4.3M
Episode Narrative The center of category 2 Hurricane Frances reached the Florida East near Sewall's point in Martin County early on September 5th but began spreading hurricane force wind gusts across most of Central Florida by 11 pm on September 4th. Frances entered Central Florida moving west northwest at 7 mph and maintained hurricane strength as it crossed the east half of the Florida Peninsula. Frances was downgraded to a tropical storm in the afternoon on the 5th when it was about 50 miles east of Tampa Bay.

In Okeechobee County, little direct observational wind data is available, but wind estimates from the Hurricane Research Division show sustained hurricane force winds over most of the county as Frances crossed the county from east to west. Almost 700 residences were destroyed, with damage to 22,688 residences.

Osceola County also suffered extensive wind damage to homes, mobile homes and businesses. Again, little wind data was available after the storm, but hurricane force wind gusts were estimated to have occurred over all of the county.

Lake, Orange and Seminole counties were also hit hard by the rain bands on the north side of Hurricane Frances. Extensive damage to residences, businesses and public buildings were reported across the counties. It is difficult to assess damage amounts since the areas was swept by Hurricane Jeanne a few weeks later. The Lake County damage estimate was over 6 million dollars. Orlando International Airport reported a gust to 60 kts (69 mph). Sanford reported a gust to 61 kts (70 mph), and a home weather station in Clermont reported a gust to 56 kts (64 mph). Widespread damage in all the counties suggests that the area was swept by hurricane force wind gusts. Significant damage was done to the area landscape industry around Apopka.


    



All events for this episode:

Location County/Zone St. Date Time T.Z. Type Mag Dth Inj PrD CrD
Totals: 0 0 23.500M 82.500M
OSCEOLA (ZONE) OSCEOLA (ZONE) FL 09/04/2004 22:55 EST High Wind 55 kts. EG 0 0 3.500M 21.500M
SEMINOLE (ZONE) SEMINOLE (ZONE) FL 09/04/2004 22:55 EST High Wind 61 kts. MG 0 0 5.000M 6.900M
ORANGE (ZONE) ORANGE (ZONE) FL 09/04/2004 23:06 EST High Wind 60 kts. MG 0 0 7.200M 44.200M
OKEECHOBEE (ZONE) OKEECHOBEE (ZONE) FL 09/04/2004 23:06 EST High Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 1.500M 4.300M
LAKE (ZONE) LAKE (ZONE) FL 09/04/2004 23:27 EST High Wind 56 kts. MG 0 0 6.300M 5.600M
Totals: 0 0 23.500M 82.500M