As the center of Hurricane Jeanne crossed Okeechobee County and moved into west Central Florida, wind gusts to near 80 mph crossed the county. No direct wind or pressure observations were available in the county from Jeanne.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 MLB wrote it up.
As the center of Hurricane Jeanne crossed Okeechobee County and moved into west Central Florida, wind gusts to near 80 mph crossed the county. No direct wind or pressure observations were available in the county from Jeanne. Winds gusting to hurricane force damaged and destroyed residences and mobile homes, damaged roofs and out buildings. Damage estimates were near $10 million. In Osceola County gusts to hurricane strength damaged and destroyed residences with an estimated $11 million in damage. Agricultural damage, mainly to citrus, was $8 million. Orange County was also hit hard by the rain bands on the north side of Hurricane Jeanne. Extensive damage to residences, businesses and public buildings were reported across the county. Damage estimates were over $40 million. The highest wind was 67 knots (76 mph) at Orlando International Airport. The lowest pressure was 985.1 mb also at Orlando International Airport. Seminole County suffered around $4 million in damage to residences, mobile homes, roofs pool enclosures fences and out buildings. Agriculture damage was near $3.6 million to citrus and the nursery industry. Highest wind in the county was 60 knots (69 mph) at Sanford. The lowest pressure was 988.8 mb. Lake County suffered around $8 million in damage. Over 2800 residences were damaged, with 111 destroyed. A 91 year old woman died in a fire started by a candle. Agriculture damage was near $8.2 million to citrus and the nursery industry. Highest wind in the county was 41 knots (47 mph) at Leesburg but estimated wind gusts of hurricane force extended over the south half of the county. The lowest recorded pressure was 982.1 at Leesburg.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Melbourne, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 25, 10:30 PM EST, 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 1130 PM EDT SAT SEP 25 2004 .UPDATE...SENT A QUICK UPDATE TO THE ZONES TO UPDATE TORNADO WATCH HEADLINE THROUGH 6 AM SUNDAY. .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... SATELLITE AND RADAR INDICATED THAT JEANNE CONTINUES MOVING TOWARDS ABOUT 285 DEGREES AT 14 MPH. THE EYE REMAINED VERY LARGE AND DOPPLER RADAR IS NOW STARTING TO INDICATE VELOCITIES OVER 120 KNOTS IN THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OUT OVER THE COASTAL WATERS. MAJOR DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY TO SWEEP ONSHORE DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...STARTING ALONG THE TREASURE COAST AND EVENTUALLY REACHING UP TO SOUTHERN BREVARD COUNTY. THIS MEANS THAT FURTHER HISTORY WILL BE MADE IN THIS ALREADY HISTORICAL YEAR FOR FLORIDA...AS INDIAN RIVER AND PART OF BREVARD COUNTY WILL EXPERIENCE MAJOR HURRICANE CONDITIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 100 YEARS. NO CHANGES TO CURRENT FORECASTS. && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HURRICANE WARNING FLAGLER BEACH TO JUPITER INLET. INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING ALL INTERIOR COUNTIES. FLOOD WATCH ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA THROUGH SUNDAY. RIVER FLOOD WARNING MIDDLE SAINT JOHNS RIVER BASIN. TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY ALL COUNTIES. && HIRSCH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
1030 PM EDT SAT SEP 25 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1022 PM HURRICANE FORT PIERCE 27.44N 80.32W
09/25/2004 ST. LUCIE FL OFFICIAL NWS OBS
WIND GUST TO 76 KNOTS OR 87 MPH.
&&
MRTThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind, Lake | 2004-09-27 | 91 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
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 2004
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: 5424354, 5424355, 5424356, 5424352, 5424353.