NOAA News Online (Story 2292)

CHARLEY STRENGTHENS TO CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE AND HEADS FOR
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COAST

(DISCLAIMER: See the NOAA National Hurricane Center for the latest information on this storm. Complete advisories are posted at 11 a.m., 5 p.m., 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. All times are Eastern. Advisories are posted more frequently as the storm nears the USA mainland.)
Latest NOAA Satellite Image of Charley (Visible)	Latest NOAA Infrared Satellite Image of Charley	Latest NOAA Key West, Fla., Radar Image	NOAA Satellite/Radar Time Conversion

NOAA satellite image of Hurricane Charley taken at 1:45 p.m. EDT on Aug. 13, 2004.

Aug. 13, 2004 — At 2 p.m. EDT, the center of Hurricane Charley was located near latitude 26.0 north, longitude 82.4 west or about 60 miles southwest of Ft. Myers, Fla. Charley is moving toward the north-northeast near 20 mph. On this track, the center of Charley should make landfall in the vicinity of Charlotte Harbor, Fla., later Friday afternoon, according to the NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Hurricane Charley taken at 1:45 p.m. EDT on Aug. 13, 2004. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 145 mph with higher gusts. The strongest winds are concentrated in a very small area near the center of the hurricane. Some fluctuations in wind speed may occur before landfall.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles. (Click NOAA Hurricane Charley tracking map for larger view.)

Estimated minimum central pressure is 954 mb, 28.17 inches.

Storm surge flooding in the Florida Keys will be subsiding later Friday. Storm surge flooding of 10 to 15 feet is expected near and south of the where the center crosses the Florida west coast. Storm surge flooding of 4 to 7 feet—along and near the northeast
Florida and Georgia coasts—is expected in the next 24 hours, with lesser flooding to the north and south.

NOAA satellite image of Hurricane Charley taken at 1:15 p.m. EDT on Aug. 13, 2004, as it ramped up to a Category Four hurricane.

Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches are likely along Charley’s path across portions of the eastern United States. These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Hurricane Charley taken at 1:15 p.m. EDT on Aug. 13, 2004, as it ramped up to a Category Four hurricane. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Isolated tornadoes are possible across parts of southern and central Florida, including the Florida Keys Friday.

A hurricane warning remains in effect for the Florida Keys from the Dry Tortugas to the Seven Mile Bridge and for the Florida west coast from East Cape Sable northward to the Steinhatchee River.

At 2 p.m. EDT, a hurricane warning is issued for the southeast U.S. coast from Cocoa Beach, Fla., northward to the South Santee River, S.C. A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch are also issued from north of the South Santee River to Cape Lookout, N.C. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Hurricane Charley taken at 1:15 p.m. EDT on Aug. 13, 2004, as it ramped up to a Category Four hurricane. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the Florida Keys from the Seven Mile Bridge to Ocean Reef and along the south Florida mainland from Ocean Reef to south of Cocoa Beach, Fla., including Lake Okeechobee and Florida Bay. A tropical storm watch remains in effect from Cape Lookout to Oregon Inlet, N.C., including Pamlico Sound.

For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by NOAA National Weather Service local forecast offices and statements from local emergency management officials.

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