Hurricane Charley - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

Charley began as a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on August 4. It moved quickly westward and steadily organized over the open Atlantic Ocean, with convection developing in curved bands. The wave continued to develop as it approached the Lesser Antilles, and became Tropical Depression Three on August 9 while 115 mi (185 km) south-southeast of Barbados, near the island of Grenada, however, the threat to Barbados was short-lived. Low upper-level wind shear and well-defined outflow contributed to further intensification, and the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Charley on August 10, despite being located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, which is an area not particularly suited to tropical cyclogenesis. At this time, the National Hurricane Center in Miami designated the name "Charley."

A strong ridge of high pressure to the system's north forced Charley to change track quickly to the west-northwest. It continued to strengthen steadily, and Charley became a Category 1 hurricane on August 11, while 90 mi (150 km) south of Kingston, Jamaica. The storm was being steered around the periphery of the high pressure area, and as a result, Charley changed direction towards the northwest. The following day, the core passed 40 mi (64 km) southwest of the southwest coast of Jamaica, affecting the island on August 11 and 12. The storm then passed 17 mi (27 km) northeast of Grand Cayman, reaching Category 2 status just after passing the island. The hurricane continued to strengthen as it turned to the northwest as it rounded the southwest portion of the subtropical ridge, and became a major hurricane—that is, a storm classified as a Category 3 hurricane or higher—just before making landfall on southern Cuba. Charley came ashore near Punta Cayamas with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and gusts of up to 133 mph (215 km/h), at about 12:30 a.m. EDT (0430 UTC) on August 13. Charley weakened while crossing the island, and passed about 13 mi (21 km) west of downtown Havana before weakening to a 110 mph (175 km/h) hurricane.

After emerging from Cuba near Menelao Mora, Hurricane Charley accelerated to the north-northeast, towards the southwest coast of Florida, in response to the approach of an unseasonal mid-tropospheric trough. This caused the hurricane to pass over the Dry Tortugas at 8:00 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC) on August 13, with maximum winds of about 110 mph (177 km/h). The strike occurred only 22 hours after Tropical Storm Bonnie made landfall on St. Vincent Island; this marks the first time two tropical cyclones hit the same state within a 24-hour period. At this time, Charley rapidly intensified, strengthening from a 110 mph (175 km/h) hurricane with a minimum central barometric pressure of 965 mbar (hPa; 28.50 inHg) to a 145 mph (230 km/h) hurricane with a pressure of 947 mbar (hPa; 27.64 inHg) in just three hours. The storm continued to strengthen as it turned more to the northeast, and made landfall near the island of Cayo Costa, Florida as a 150 mph (240 km/h) Category 4 hurricane with a pressure of 941 mbar (hPa; 27.49 inHg) at approximately 3:45 p.m. EDT (1945 UTC) on the 13th. An hour later, the hurricane struck Punta Gorda as a 145 mph (230 km/h) storm. However, the eye had shrunk before landfall, limiting the most powerful winds to an area within 6 nautical miles (11 km) of the center.

Charley weakened considerably due to its passage over land, but still retained sustained winds of about 85 mph (140 km/h) as it passed directly over Orlando between 8:20 and 9:40 p.m. on August 13 (0020-0140 UTC August 14); gusts of up to 106 mph (171 km/h) were recorded at Orlando International Airport. It cut a swath of destruction across Florida, also passing near Kissimmee. The hurricane reemerged into the Atlantic Ocean after crossing directly over New Smyrna Beach as a Category 1 hurricane, but restrengthened slightly over open waters. Continuing to move rapidly to the north-northeast, Charley struck near Cape Romain, South Carolina as an 80 mph (130 km/h) hurricane, moved offshore briefly, and made its final landfall near North Myrtle Beach as a minimal hurricane, with winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). Charley then began interacting with an approaching frontal boundary, becoming a tropical storm over southeastern South Carolina. After moving back into the Atlantic Ocean near Virginia Beach on August 15, the storm became extratropical and became embedded in the frontal zone. The extratropical storm continued to move rapidly to the northeast, and was completely absorbed by the front shortly after sunrise on August 15, near southeastern Massachusetts.