Tropical Storm, Hillsborough
- When
- September 5, 8:00 AM EST to September 6, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Hillsborough forecast zone
- Property damage
- $45 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Tropical Storm in Florida, September 5 to 6, 2004
Hurricane Frances made landfall just after midnight on September 5th near Vero Beach as a Category 2 storm. The hurricane continued to move slowly west northwestward across central Florida to near Bartow by 2 pm, and just northeast of Tampa by 8 pm, when it was downgraded to a tropical storm.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $179 million
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 10
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.
What happened
The episode as NWS TBW wrote it up.
Hurricane Frances made landfall just after midnight on September 5th near Vero Beach as a Category 2 storm. The hurricane continued to move slowly west northwestward across central Florida to near Bartow by 2 pm, and just northeast of Tampa by 8 pm, when it was downgraded to a tropical storm. It then emerged back into the Gulf of Mexico near Hudson shortly before midnight. Hurricane Frances took almost 24 hours to move through the Florida peninsula. Frances continued northwestward through the northern gulf of Mexico, making a second landfall on the afternoon of September 6th in the Florida big bend near Tallahassee as a tropical storm. In Lee County the observation at Big Carlos Pass recorded a gust to 51 knots (59 MPH) from the west at 12:18 AM EST on 09/05/2004. One direct death was reported when an elderly man was blown over by a wind gust while walking his dog 10 feet outside of his home. He hit his head on the sidewalk and died from blunt force trauma. Fourteen homes were destroyed by the wind. In Sarasota and Manatee Counties the maximum wind recorded at the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport was 46 knots (53 MPH) from the northwest at 12:07 PM EST on 09/05/2004. In Charlotte County there was was a foot of water in Downtown Punta Gorda due to a "back door"storm surge of 5 ft into Charlotte Harbor. Tarps on roofs from Hurricane Charley were blown off of many roofs during Hurricane Frances. The observation from the Punta Gorda Airport recorded a maximum wind of 50 knots (58 MPH) from the southwest at 12:21 AM on 09/06/2004. In Hillsborough County most of the damage was a result of trees falling on homes, businesses, and power lines. Debris removal alone was $24 million (not included in damage estimate above). The observation from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge recorded 55 knots (63 MPH) from the north at 9:18 AM EST on 09/05/2004. Two indirect deaths were reported; one was a man who hit a pole while driving in the rain, the other was a Utility Repair Supervisor who was hit by a falling branch while removing tree debris. In Pasco County there was major damage to 114 homes, minor damage to 782 homes, and 459 reports of flood damage. The observation from Anclote Key recorded a wind gust of 61 knots (70 mph) from the north late on the 09/04/2004. In Hernando County there were numerous reports of flooded streets and homes. Other reports included trees on homes, shingles off roofs, mobile home and fascia damage, and pool enclosures with moderate damage. The observation from the Brooksville airport recorded a maximum wind of 47 knots (54 MPH) from the north at 1:02 PM EST on 09/05/2004. In Citrus County a wind instrument at the Crystal River Power Plant recorded a gust to 45 knots (52 MPH) around 4 PM EST on 09/06/2004. In Levy County the observation at Cedar Key recorded a gust to 51 knots (59 MPH) from the south at 2 PM EST on 09/06/2004. The damage total listed was estimated by doubling the insured losses unless otherwise noted. The doubling accounted for uninsured losses and damge to the public infrastructure. Flood damage was included within these totals because it was not possible to extract the flood damage information from the available data.
What forecasters said that day
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 Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 5, 5:52 AM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 5, 5:52 AM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes before
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 652 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 TORNADO WATCH 799 IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM FOR COUNTIES NORTH OF POLK...HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...AND GULF WATERS NORTH OF ANNA MARIA ISLAND. THIS EXTENDS THE PREVIOUS WATCH ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTH...WITH THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES BEING DROPPED. //REST THE SAME EXCEPT WARNING LINE// .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUE)...THE CENTER OF FRANCES IS NOW ALMOST FULLY ASHORE AND CONTINUES TO ROTATE BANDS OF HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS THROUGH THE CWFA. FRANCES WILL DOMINATE THE REGION TODAY AS IT MOVES SLOWLY ACROSS THE STATE ON A NORTHWESTERLY TRACK. AM FAIRLY COMFORTABLE WITH CURRENT WARNINGS AND FORECASTS AND HAVE MADE FEW CHANGES. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL SPREAD INTO THE CWFA THIS MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON WITH CATEGORICAL POPS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. FRANCES IS EXPECTED BE OVER GULF WATERS TONIGHT AND CONTINUE TO MOVE AWAY WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN WINDS AND POPS OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. CURRENT AND DETAILED INFO ON EXPECTED LOCAL EFFECTS FROM HURRICANE FRANCES WILL BE CONTAINED IN THE LATEST LOCAL TROPICAL STATEMENT FROM THIS OFFICE. .LONG TERM...(TUE NIGHT - SAT)...FRANCES WILL DEPART THE AREA BUT A SOUTHERLY COMPONENT TO THE WIND FLOW WITH THE RIDGE WELL TO THE EAST WILL KEEP MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY OVER THE AREA RESULTING IN MAINLY AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TAPERING OFF IN COVERAGE BY SATURDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR SEASONAL NORMS. && .MARINE...TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN PLACE AND SMALL CRAFT ARE ADVISED TO STAY IN PORT. && .FIRE WEATHER...NO CONCERNS. && PRELIMINARY NUMBERS TPA 87 77 89 77 / + + 70 40 FMY 87 77 88 77 / 70 70 70 40 GIF 86 76 89 76 / + + 70 40 SRQ 87 78 88 78 / + + 70 40 BKV 86 76 87 76 / + + 70 40 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR MANATEE...SARASOTA...DESOTO...CHARLOTTE ..CITRUS...HERNANDO...HILLSBOROUGH...LEVY...PASCO...PINELLAS... AND LEE COUNTIES. FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR ALL OF FORECAST AREA. INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING FOR SUMTER...POLK...HIGHLANDS...AND HARDEE COUNTIES THROUGH TONIGHT. TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM TODAY FOR LEVY...CITRUS... HERNANDO...PASCO...SUMTER...PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...AND POLK COUNTIES. && SHORT TERM...RKR LONG TERM...CP
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 5, 4:21 AM EST, 3 hours 39 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 521 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-051218- CHARLOTTE-CITRUS-DE SOTO-HARDEE-HERNANDO-HIGHLANDS-HILLSBOROUGH-LEE- LEVY-MANATEE-PASCO-PINELLAS-POLK-SARASOTA-SUMTER- 521 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY: ...HURRICANE FRANCES CONTINUES TO MOVE INLAND... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES OVER COASTAL COUNTIES AND THE COASTAL WATERS WITH AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WARNING FOR INTERIOR COUNTIES. A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE AREA. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 35 TO 50 MPH...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER GUSTS...CAN BE EXPECTED OVER WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA TODAY. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE CLOSEST TO THE TRACK OVER INLAND COUNTIES THIS MORNING...WHEN HURRICANE FORCE SUSTAINED WINDS OR WIND GUSTS WILL BE POSSIBLE. RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE 6 TO 12 INCHES NORTH AND EAST OF FRANCES AND 3 TO 6 INCHES ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES OF FRANCES. HOWEVER...LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL LIKELY OCCUR. MODERATE TO MAJOR FLOODING MAY DEVELOP OVER MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA TODAY...WITH MOST RIVERS AND STREAMS RISING OUT OF THEIR BANKS. RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS...CREEKS...AND RIVERS ACROSS THE REGION SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING AND TAKE ACTIONS TO PROTECT PROPERTY. DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY WILL DECREASE TUESDAY TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEK WITH MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING TIMING. && FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW (LOWER CASE) .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO RELAY REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN RUSKIN. WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. 09
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Sep 5, 3:48 AM EST, 4 hours 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 448 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 FLZ042-043-048>051-055-051000- CITRUS-HERNANDO-HILLSBOROUGH-MANATEE-PASCO-PINELLAS-SUMTER- 448 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 ...A FEEDER BAND FROM FRANCES WILL BRING WIND GUSTS TO 55 MPH TO THE COASTAL COUNTIES FROM INVERNESS THROUGH TAMPA BAY TO SARASOTA THROUGH 6 PM... SOME DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT. SHORT LIVED TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP AT ANY TIME. NOAH
Special weather statement, Sep 5, 3:48 AM EST, 4 hours 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 448 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 FLZ042-043-048>051-055-051000- CITRUS-HERNANDO-HILLSBOROUGH-MANATEE-PASCO-PINELLAS-SUMTER- 448 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 ...A FEEDER BAND FROM FRANCES WILL BRING WIND GUSTS TO 55 MPH TO THE COASTAL COUNTIES FROM INVERNESS THROUGH TAMPA BAY TO SARASOTA THROUGH 6 AM... SOME DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT. SHORT LIVED TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP AT ANY TIME. NOAH
Special weather statement, Sep 5, 4:00 AM EST, 4 hours before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 500 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 FLZ052-056-057-061-051100- DESOTO-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-POLK- 500 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 ...THE OUTER EYE WALL OF HURRICANE FRANCES WILL BRING DAMAGING HURRICANE FORCE WINDS TO SEBRING AND LAKE PLACID THROUGH 8 AM... A STRONG FEEDER BAND ROTATING AROUND THE EYE WALL WILL BRING GUSTS TO 55 MPH TO LAKE WALES...WAUCHULA...AND ARCADIA. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT. SHORT LIVED TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP AT ANY TIME. NOAH
Special weather statement, Sep 5, 5:38 AM EST, 2 hours 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 638 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 FLZ039-042-043-048>052-GMZ830-850-853-870-873-051100- CITRUS-HERNANDO-HILLSBOROUGH-LEVY-PASCO-PINELLAS-POLK-SUMTER- 638 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 799 IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 PM EDT... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR PASCO...SUMTER...LEVY...CITRUS...HILLSBOROUGH...HERNANDO...POLK AND PINELLAS COUNTIES. AS HURRICANE FRANCES MOVES SLOWLY WEST NORTHWEST INTO WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON THE THREAT OF TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE WATCH AREA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR UPDATES AND OR WARNINGS. && FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW (LOWER CASE) JCM
Special weather statement, Sep 5, 7:27 AM EST, 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 827 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 FLZ049>051-055-051300- HILLSBOROUGH-MANATEE-PASCO-PINELLAS- 827 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 ...STRONG WINDS WILL AFFECT PASCO...HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...AND MANATEE COUNTIES... A STRONG SPIRAL BAND ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE FRANCES MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 45 MPH WILL BRING WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH TO LUTZ... CARROLLWOOD...WEST PARK...CLEARWATER...PINELLAS PARK...TAMPA...AND TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...UNTIL 900 AM EDT. THESE STRONG WINDS MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL. MCMICHAEL
Special weather statement, Sep 5, 7:27 AM EST, 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL...CORRECTED 827 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 FLZ049>051-055-051300- HILLSBOROUGH-MANATEE-PASCO-PINELLAS- 827 AM EDT SUN SEP 5 2004 ...STRONG WINDS WILL AFFECT PASCO...HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...AND MANATEE COUNTIES... A STRONG SPIRAL BAND ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE FRANCES MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 45 MPH WILL BRING WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH TO LUTZ... CARROLLWOOD...WEST PARK...CLEARWATER...PINELLAS PARK...TAMPA... BRADENTON...PARRISH...ELLENTON...AND TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...UNTIL 900 AM EDT. THESE STRONG WINDS MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL. MCMICHAEL
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
10 tropical storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Tropical Storm, Charlotte
- When
- September 5, 8:00 AM EST to September 6, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Charlotte forecast zone
- Property damage
- $7.3 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Tropical Storm, Citrus
- When
- September 5, 8:00 AM EST to September 6, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Citrus forecast zone
- Property damage
- $21 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Tropical Storm, De Soto
- When
- September 5, 8:00 AM EST to September 6, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- De Soto forecast zone
- Property damage
- $1.5 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 27.186, -81.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Tropical Storm, Hernando
- When
- September 5, 8:00 AM EST to September 6, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Hernando forecast zone
- Property damage
- $23 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Tropical Storm, Lee
- When
- September 5, 8:00 AM EST to September 6, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Lee forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Property damage
- $6.4 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Tropical Storm, Levy
- When
- September 5, 8:00 AM EST to September 6, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Levy forecast zone
- Property damage
- $4.8 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Tropical Storm, Manatee
- When
- September 5, 8:00 AM EST to September 6, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Manatee forecast zone
- Property damage
- $6.4 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Tropical Storm, Pasco
- When
- September 5, 8:00 AM EST to September 6, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Pasco forecast zone
- Property damage
- $31 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Tropical Storm, Pinellas
- When
- September 5, 8:00 AM EST to September 6, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Pinellas forecast zone
- Property damage
- $32 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 27.903, -82.739 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The people who died
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm, Lee | 2004-09-05 | 81 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
What these are
- Tropical Storm
- A tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph).
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- High Wind in Florida, September 5 to 6, 2004
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, September 5, 2004
- Tropical Storm in Georgia, September 5 to 7, 2004
- Tropical Storm in Florida, September 5 to 6, 2004
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Iowa, September 5, 2004
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Georgia, September 5 to 7, 2004
- Tornado in Florida, September 5, 2004
- Tropical Storm in Georgia, September 5 to 7, 2004
- Damaging Wind in Iowa, September 5, 2004
- Tornado in Florida, September 5, 2004
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, September 5, 2004
- Storm Surge in Florida, September 5, 2004
More
Every storm in Florida in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, September 2004The 2004 hurricane season
Sources
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: 5422741, 5422742, 5422743, 5422744, 5422745, 5422746, 5422747, 5422748, 5422749, 5422750.