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The secret of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season: Why did it kill more than 3,200 people?
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season was marked as an extremely deadly and destructive year, causing more than 3,200 deaths and an estimated $61 billion in damage. The season included 16 tropical cyclones, and more than half of these storms impacted the United States. The unusually high level of activity during this season is partly due to the development of Modoki El Niño, a phenomenon that causes adverse climatic conditions in the eastern Pacific and tropical cyclone formation is concentrated in the western Pacific.
2004 was the first year since 1995 that cumulative cyclone energy (ACE) exceeded 200, mainly due to Hurricane Ivan, which had the highest ACE value of the season.
Seasonal summary
The official start date of the season is June 1 and end date is November 30, but the last storm, Otto, dissipated on December 3. The first system, Alex, occurred on July 31, one of the most recent records of a storm forming for the first time during the Atlantic hurricane season.
Four particularly prominent hurricanes this season include: Hurricane Charley, which made landfall in Florida on August 13 and caused $16 billion in damage; and Hurricane Frances, which killed 49 people and killed more than Damage of 10.1 billion U.S. dollars; Hurricane Ivan, the most costly and strongest hurricane, caused more than 26.1 billion U.S. dollars in damage and 129 lives; and Hurricane Jeanne, which caused the most deaths, was famous for the death of at least 3,042 people
Overall, this season's storms caused at least 3,261 deaths and approximately $61.15 billion in damage, making it the most expensive Atlantic hurricane season at the time.
Hurricane devastation
At the same time, this season also saw many unprecedented records. With six hurricanes reaching at least Category 3 intensity, the season had the most major hurricanes on record since 1996. Florida, in particular, was hit by four major hurricanes this season, actually for the first time ever.
For example, Hurricane Charley reached maximum wind speeds of 150 mph when it made landfall in Florida, causing widespread damage and heavy losses to agriculture. Other reports pointed out that Ivan and Jenny also caused a large number of deaths and property losses respectively, causing the overall death toll and economic losses to continue to rise.
Seasonal Forecast
This season's forecasts are provided by Colorado State University (CSU) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). According to CSU research, the average annual season from 1950 to 2000 was 9.6 tropical storms, 5.9 hurricanes, and 2.3 major hurricanes. And forecast adjustments for this season show more storm activity than normal.
Looking at actual results, 2004 stubbornly exceeded initial forecasts and displayed exceptional seasonal hurricane activity.
Ending Thoughts
Looking back at the pain and lessons learned from the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, can we better predict and withstand possible future disasters to reduce casualties and property losses?
