As Hurricane Frances tracked from the northwest Bahamas through the central Florida peninsula, several outer rain bands crossed the Florida Keys producing short episodes of strong wind gusts. A peak wind gust of 81 knots (93 mph) was measured at the Sombrero Key Light C-MAN station, at an elevation of over 150 feet above mean sea level.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS EYW wrote it up.
As Hurricane Frances tracked from the northwest Bahamas through the central Florida peninsula, several outer rain bands crossed the Florida Keys producing short episodes of strong wind gusts. A peak wind gust of 81 knots (93 mph) was measured at the Sombrero Key Light C-MAN station, at an elevation of over 150 feet above mean sea level. Other notable wind gusts included 55 knots (63 mph) at Sand Key C-MAN and 59 knots (68 mph) at Molasses Reef C-MAN. Over land, peak wind gusts included 47 knots (54 mph) at the U.S. Coast Guard Group Key West, and 44 knots (51 mph) at the Key West Harbor. Stronger wind gusts were estimated along the south side of Marathon...near Flamingo Island...in the squall that produced the extreme winds at Sombrero Key Light. These winds tore screens in porches in isolated fashion from Big Pine Key through Grassy Key, and blew out plastic or vinyl panels of commercial signs in Marathon. Otherwise, damage was limited to downed tree limbs and minor power outages. As Frances passed to the north, strong northwest and west winds drove waters higher than normal along the Florida Bay shoreline...up to 1.0 foot above normal at Vaca Key, and estimated to near 2.5 feet above normal along the bayside of North Key Largo and Jewfish Creek. These tides produced minor flooding of sidestreets and a parking lot near Mile Marker 106 of the Overseas Highway.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 hurricane (typhoon). Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, September 2004The 2004 hurricane season
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5420611, 5420612, 5420613.