Hurricane Frances (2004)

Basin

North Atlantic

Dates

August 25, 2004 to September 10, 2004

Peak strength

Category 4, 125 kt (144 mph)

Lowest pressure

935 mb (27.61 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

45.9

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

175 nmi (324 km, 201 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

85 nmi (157 km, 98 mi) from the center at its widest

Overall size

250 nmi (463 km, 288 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

155 kt (178 mph)

Fastest the center moved

29 kt (33 mph)

Identifier

AL062004

Radar at KTLH as it neared land, Sep 6, 18:00 UTC

The sources count different things and are not added together.

Landfall points the US agencies flagged in the best track. The nearest town is named from the site’s gazetteer, not from the report.

NOAA’s Storm Events database, the record National Weather Service offices compile months after a storm, as compiled March 2026.

Deaths

2 (2 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

2

Property damage

$5.9 billion

Crop damage

$304 million

Events recorded

546 in 78 reports from 15 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

143 tropical storm, 119 flood, 76 high wind, 58 strong wind, 55 flash flood, 23 thunderstorm wind, 23 tornado, 16 hurricane (typhoon), 15 heavy rain, 10 storm surge/tide, 5 rip current, 3 debris flow.

23 tornadoes recorded in the United States, strongest first.

The Weather Prediction Center attributes 3,937 rain gauge totals over the contiguous United States to this storm. The wettest reached 23.57 inches (599 mm).

WPC’s storm rainfall file, 1900 to 2020, compiled by David Roth.

The strongest winds National Weather Service offices recorded with this storm. An estimated figure is a forecaster’s judgment from the damage, not an instrument reading.

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

From 10 to 12 inches of rain from the northern rainbands of Hurricane Frances produced widespread flooding of homes, businesses and roads across most of the coastal communities as well as in Deltona, and Deland.

Volusia, Florida · Flash Flood · Sep 5, 06:30 UTC

The Houston Home Journal of Perry reported that heavy rain, on the order of 4-8 inches during the evening and early morning hours, resulted in the collapse of the roof of the First Baptist Church of Perry. Two large gaping holes were left in the roof as a result of the weight of the water on the roof.

Houston, Georgia · Heavy Rain · Sep 7, 05:00 UTC

Remnants of Hurricane Frances moved northward near the Alabama and Georgia state line. Strong winds of 30 to 40 mph along with saturated ground conditions allowed several trees and power lines to be blown down.

Cherokee, Alabama · Strong Wind · Sep 7, 06:15 UTC

The Newnan Times/Herald reported that more than 6 inches of rain fell across the county during the early morning hours in association with Tropical Storm Frances. The heavy rain caused a large sinkhole to develop on East Washington Street. The road was closed as a result.

Coweta, Georgia · Heavy Rain · Sep 7, 07:00 UTC

An extended period of moderate to heavy rain associated with the remnants of Hurricane Frances led to gradual rises along creeks and streams, culminating in flooding across the county by late evening. In addition to smaller streams, the South Fork of the Catawba River and several of its tributaries exceeded flood stage. Several roads were flooded, as was a mobile home park near Kings Mountain. A large sinkhole in Kings Mountain forced the closure of another road.

Gaston, North Carolina · Flood · Sep 8, 03:00 UTC

Torrential rains resulted in flash flooding. Cars were trapped and people were rescued in Hoboken. Basements flooded with up to four feet of water across the county. A roadway overpass collapsed in Weehawken. In Harrison, 5 feet of water accumulated at Path train station. Rescues were performed by police there.

Hudson, New Jersey · Flash Flood · Sep 8, 12:15 UTC

Torrential rains caused countywide flash flooding. Several roads were closed, including parts of Routes 17 and 46. In Bogota, a SUV began floating when the vehicle was immersed in several feet of water. This resulted in rescues by local police.

Bergen, New Jersey · Flash Flood · Sep 8, 13:25 UTC

Torrential rains caused flash flooding throughout Rockland County. Basements flooded Tompkins Cove, and Stony Point. Several roads experienced closures, including Routes 59, 303, and Crooked hill Road. The Hackensack River also overflowed its banks onto Route 59, causing a small mouth bass to wash onto the highway.

Rockland, New York · Flash Flood · Sep 8, 16:30 UTC

A tornado touched down about 1 mile south of Garden Estates (about 6 miles sw of La Plata) on Biggs Farm Road. Several shelters and storage facilities were damaged or destroyed. Numerous trees, up to 2 feet in diameter, were either uprooted or topped. A large recreational van parked in front of a log-style home was overturned and at least 3 other automobiles were damaged from falling trees and debris. Then several homes sustained damage from felled trees, lost shingles, or suffered torn siding. A second touch down of the tornado brought damage to the Indian Head area, in west Charles County. 20 to 30 large trees, up to 3 feet in diameter, were uprooted. The total track length of the combined touchdowns was about 5 miles.

Charles, Maryland · Tornado · Sep 8, 16:58 UTC

Rain from remnants of Hurricane Frances began late on the 7th. It ended the morning of the 9th, but flooding continued for days. By 330 PM EDT, flooding was county-wide. By 615 PM EDT, just south of Cambridge, I-70 was closed by flooding; so were routes 265 and 513. Many roads remained flooded 4 PM on the 10th. By 8 PM EDT on 11th, flooding was primarily confined to the northern and central parts of Guernsey County. Most small stream flooding ended by 2 am EDT on the 12th, but flooding on Wills Creek in Cambridge continued. Wills Creek rose to flood stage (15 ft) at 9 PM EDT on the 8th; crested 24.9 at 5 AM EDT 10th; and fell below flood stage 11 PM EDT on the 14th. The crest fell short of the record (26.9 ft).Total rain: 6.6" at Salt Fork Sewage Plant. (FRANCES)

Guernsey, Ohio · Flood · Sep 8, 19:30 UTC

One to three inches of rain fell on Crawford County during the afternoon and evening hours. This rain was associated with the remnants of Tropical Storm Frances. Runoff from the rain caused lowland flooding to begin just after sunset. This flooding gradually worsened as the evening progressed. Reports of street and basement flooding were common.

Crawford, Pennsylvania · Flood · Sep 9, 00:04 UTC

The remnants of Hurricane Frances moved northeast across central Pennsylvania from late Thursday afternoon on September 8th, into the early morning hours of Friday, September 9th, producing widespread heavy rainfall, and subsequent minor to moderate flooding. Rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches within a 12 to 18 hour period led to numerous road closures and widespread basement flooding across central Pennsylvania, particularly in Blair and Huntingdon Counties. In Blair County, a railroad bridge in Hollidaysburg Borough was damaged by flood waters, while approximately 200 persons were evacuated due to flooded homes. In Huntingdon County, Juniata College evacuated 23 persons from a dormitory due to flooding, while in Logan Township, 35 calves were swept away by flood waters from a farm.

Warren, Pennsylvania · Flood · Sep 9, 01:45 UTC

Runoff from heavy rains produced by the remnants of Tropical Storm Frances caused the Mahoning River to go into flood. At Youngstown, the river went above the flood stage of 10 feet during the late evening hours of September 8th. The river crested at 14.35 feet during the evening of the 9th and fell below flood stage during the evening of the 10th. Extensive flooding occurred in low areas along the river. Several roads were damaged in Mill Creek Park. Buildings along the river in Youngstown also sustained some damage. Many roads along the river had to be closed because of the flooding.

Mahoning, Ohio · Flood · Sep 9, 08:00 UTC

Heavy rainfall from the remnants of hurricane Frances caused the Chemung River at Elmira to rise above its flood stage of 12 feet. The Chemung River at Elmira crested around 13 feet late on the 9th. Rainfall amounts were 1.5 to 4 inches with locally higher amounts across the Chemung River basin. Many roads were flooded and closed due to the river flooding in the Big Flats area.

Chemung, New York · Flood · Sep 9, 19:00 UTC

• Hurricane AlexNorth Atlantic · 2004Cat 3105 kt · 957 mb
• Tropical Storm BonnieNorth Atlantic · 2004Tropical Storm55 kt · 1001 mb
• Hurricane CharleyNorth Atlantic · 2004Cat 4130 kt · 941 mb
• Hurricane DanielleNorth Atlantic · 2004Cat 295 kt · 964 mb
• Tropical Storm EarlNorth Atlantic · 2004Tropical Storm45 kt · 1009 mb
• Hurricane GastonNorth Atlantic · 2004Cat 165 kt · 985 mb
• Tropical Storm HermineNorth Atlantic · 2004Tropical Storm50 kt · 1002 mb
• Hurricane IvanNorth Atlantic · 2004Cat 5145 kt · 910 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionNorth Atlantic · 2004Tropical Depression30 kt · 1009 mb
• Hurricane JeanneNorth Atlantic · 2004Cat 3105 kt · 950 mb
• Hurricane KarlNorth Atlantic · 2004Cat 4125 kt · 938 mb
• Hurricane LisaNorth Atlantic · 2004Cat 165 kt · 987 mb
• Tropical Storm MatthewNorth Atlantic · 2004Tropical Storm40 kt · 997 mb
• Tropical Storm NicoleNorth Atlantic · 2004Tropical Storm45 kt · 986 mb
• Tropical Storm OttoNorth Atlantic · 2004Tropical Storm45 kt · 995 mb

A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.

Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.

• Tropical cyclone report, National Hurricane Center
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Wikipedia article: Hurricane Frances