Replies

Hurricane Charley Advisory Number 19
Statement as of 5:00 PM EDT on August 13, 2004

...Charley makes landfall as a category four hurricane near
Charlotte Harbor Florida...

A Hurricane Warning remains in effect from East Cape Sable northward
to the Suwannee river on the Florida West Coast and from Cocoa
Beach Florida to Cape Lookout North Carolina on the southeast U.S.
Coast.

 
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect from Jupiter Inlet to
Cocoa Beach Florida...and for Lake Okeechobee.

 
At 5 PM EDT...2100z...a tropical storm watch is in effect from Cape
Lookout to Chincoteague Virginia including Pamlico and Albemarle
sounds and for Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point.

 
Elsewhere...all watches and warnings are discontinued.

 
At 5 PM EDT...2100z...the center of Hurricane Charley was located
near latitude 26.9 north...longitude  82.2 west or about   30 miles
west-northwest of ft. Myers Florida.  This position is also about
115 miles south-southwest of Orlando.

 
Charley is moving toward the north-northeast near 22 mph and a
gradual increase in forward speed is expected tonight and Saturday. 
The forecast track moves Charley across Florida and off the
northeast Florida coast overnight.

 
Maximum sustained winds are near 140 mph with higher gusts. 
Weakening is forecast during the next 24 hours.  However hurricane
force winds are expected to spread across Florida near the path of
the center of the hurricane.  At 432 PM EDT...Punta Gorda Florida
reported sustained winds of 87 mph with a gust to 109 mph.

 
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to  25 miles from the
center...and tropical storm force winds extend outward up
to  85 miles.

 
The last pressure measured by the hurricane hunter aircraft was 
941 mb...27.79 inches.

 
Storm surge flooding in the Florida Keys is subsiding.  Storm surge
flooding of 10 to 15 feet is occuring near and south of where the
center moved inland.  Storm surge flooding of 4 to 7 feet is
expected along the northeast Florida and Georgia coasts with lesser
flooding to the north and south.

 
Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches are likely along charleys path
across portions of the eastern United States.  These rains could
cause life-threatening flash floods.

 
Isolated tornadoes are possible across portions of the Florida
Peninsula tonight.

Repeating the 5 PM EDT position...26.9 N... 82.2 W.  Movement
toward...north-northeast near 22 mph.  Maximum sustained
winds...140 mph.  Minimum central pressure... 941 mb.

 
For storm information specific to your area...please monitor
products issued by your local weather office.

 
Intermediate advisories will be issued by the National
Hurricane Center at 7 PM EDT and 9 PM EDT followed
by the next complete advisory at 11 PM EDT.

 
Forecaster Lawrence

$$