The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season was a very deadly, destructive, and extremely active Atlantic hurricane season, with over 3,200 deaths and more than $60.4 billion (2004 USD) in damage. More than half of the 16 tropical cyclones brushed or struck the United States. Due to the development of a Modoki El Niño – a rare type of El Niño in which unfavorable conditions are produced over the Eastern Pacific instead of the Atlantic basin due to warmer sea surface temperatures farther west along the equatorial Pacific – activity was above average. The season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30, though the season's last storm, Otto, dissipated on December 3, extending the season beyond its traditional boundaries. The first storm, Alex, developed offshore of the Southeastern United States on July 31, one of the latest dates on record to see the formation of the first system in an Atlantic hurricane season. It brushed the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic, causing one death and $7.5 million (2004 USD) in damage. Several other storms caused only minor impacts, if any. The season was the first to exceed 200 units in accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) since 1995, mostly from Hurricane Ivan, which produced the highest ACE out of any storm this season. Ivan generated the second-highest ACE in the Atlantic, only behind the 1899 San Ciriaco Hurricane.
There are four notable storms: Hurricane Charley, that made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS), causing over $17 billion in damage in the United States alone. Later in August, Hurricane Frances struck the Bahamas and Florida, causing at least 49 deaths and $9.67 billion in damage. The costliest and most intense storm was Hurricane Ivan. It was a Category 5 hurricane that devastated multiple countries adjacent to the Caribbean, before entering the Gulf of Mexico and causing catastrophic damage on the Gulf Coast of the United States, especially in the states of Alabama and Florida. Throughout the countries it passed through, Ivan caused 124 fatalities and over $26.1 billion in damage. The deadliest storm was Hurricane Jeanne, which caused torrential rainfall in the mountainous areas of Haiti, resulting in mudslides and severe flooding that caused at least 3,000 fatalities. Jeanne also struck Florida, inflicting extensive destruction. Overall, the storm caused at least $7.63 billion in damage and 3,042 deaths, ranking it as one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricanes in history.
Collectively, the storms of this season caused at least 3,261 deaths and about $60.4 billion in damage, making it the costliest Atlantic hurricane season at the time, until surpassed by the following year. As of 2026, it ranks as the seventh costliest Atlantic hurricane season to date. With six hurricanes reaching at least Category 3 intensity, the most major hurricanes since 1950, and 1996. However, that record would also be surpassed by 2005 and 2020, with seven major hurricanes in those years. In the spring of 2005, four names were retired: Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. This tied the then-record most names retired with 1955 and 1995, a mark also surpassed in 2005, when five were retired.
Seasonal forecasts
Since 1984, forecasts of hurricane activity have been issued before each hurricane season by noted hurricane expert Dr. William M. Gray and his associates at Colorado State University (CSU), and separately by forecasters with the U.S. Government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). According to CSU, the average season between 1950 and 2000 had 9.6 tropical storms, 5.9 hurricanes, and 2.3 major hurricanes, which are Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. A normal season, as defined by NOAA, has 12.1 named storms, of which 6.4 reach hurricane strength and 2.7 become major hurricanes.
CSU released its first prediction on December 5, 2003, which projected an above average season, with 13 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. This forecast was adjusted upward slightly on April 2. On May 17, prior to the start of the season, NOAA forecasters predicted a 50% probability of activity above the normal range, with twelve to fifteen tropical storms, six to eight of those becoming hurricanes, and two to four those hurricanes reaching major intensity. Dr. Gray released a prediction on May 28 that was similar, with 14 named storms, eight reaching hurricane strength, and three becoming major hurricanes.
After the season began, Dr. Gray announced he had revised his predictions slightly downwards on August 6, citing mild El Niño conditions. His new forecast was thirteen named storms, seven hurricanes, and three reaching major hurricane intensity. On August 10, NOAA released an updated prediction as well, with a 90% probability of above-to-near normal activity, but the same number of storms forecast. CSU issued another forecast on September 3, indicating sixteen tropical storms, eight hurricanes, and five major hurricanes. The season ended up with sixteen tropical depressions, fifteen named storms, nine hurricanes, and six major hurricanes, which matched CSU's final prediction on October 1.
Seasonal summary
The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2004. However, the first system, Hurricane Alex, did not develop until July 31. It was an above average season in which 16 tropical cyclones formed. All but one tropical depression attained tropical storm status, and nine of these became hurricanes. Six hurricanes further intensified into major hurricanes. Due to a Modoki El Niño – a rare type of El Niño in which unfavorable conditions are produced over the eastern Pacific instead of the Atlantic basin due to warmer sea surface temperatures farther west along the equatorial Pacific – activity was above average. Five hurricanes and three tropical storms made landfall during the season and caused 3,270 deaths and about $60.4 billion in damage. Additionally, Hurricane Alex caused damage and one fatality, but it did not make landfall. The season officially ended on November 30, 2004.
Tropical cyclogenesis began at the end of July, with the development of Hurricane Alex on July 31. However, it did not become a named storm until the following day, which was the fifth-latest start since the 1952 season. August was an unusually active month, with eight named storms, including Alex, Bonnie, Charley, Danielle, Earl, Frances, Gaston, and Hermine. This broke the record for the most named storms in the month of August set in 1933 and 1995. This new record was tied in 2012. On average, there are only three tropical storms and one to two hurricanes in August. Of the eight systems that month, five became hurricanes and three strengthened further into major hurricanes. A total of five tropical cyclones developed in September, including the most intense system of the season, Hurricane Ivan. Activity decreased further in October, with the formation of only two systems, Tropical Storm Matthew and Subtropical Storm Nicole. The season then went dormant for over a month and a half, until Tropical Storm Otto developed on November 29. Otto was the final tropical cyclone of the season and degenerated into a remnant low pressure on December 3.
Reflecting the season's high activity, the accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index for the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season was 227 units, one of the highest values on record in the basin. ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. It is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 39 mph (63 km/h), which is tropical storm strength.
The 2004 season was very deadly, with about 3,270 fatalities overall. Nearly all of the deaths were reported in Haiti following the floods and mudslides caused by Tropical Storm Jeanne. The other tropical cyclones that caused fatalities include Hurricane Alex, Charley, Frances, Gaston, and Ivan, and Tropical Storms Bonnie and Earl. Because four out of the six major hurricanes made several landfalls, the season was also extremely damaging, with losses estimated at $60.9 billion, over half of which was caused by Hurricanes Charley and Ivan. The collective response to hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne represented the largest operations in the history of both the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The previous largest FEMA operation was the response to the 1994 Northridge earthquake. A few other tropical cyclones caused light to moderate damage, including Hurricanes Alex and Gaston and Tropical Storms Bonnie and Matthew. In addition to the 16 tropical cyclones of the season, a tropical low in May brought torrential flooding to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, killing 2,000 people and causing extensive damage. Although the system was not officially classified as a tropical storm, it did have a circulation with loosely organized convection, resembling a subtropical cyclone.
Records
The 2004 season had numerous unusual occurrences and set many records. However, most of them were surpassed by the following year. With six hurricanes reaching at least Category 3 intensity, 2004 also had the most major hurricanes since 1996, a record which would be surpassed in 2005. Florida was directly impacted by four major hurricanes during the season – Hurricane Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. This was the first time four tropical cyclones produced hurricane-force winds in one state during a single season since four hurricanes made landfall in Texas in 1886. There were many other hurricanes in the season that were individually unusual. Hurricane Alex was the strongest hurricane on record to intensify north of 38°N latitude. Hurricane Ivan was the most unusual storm of the season. Ivan became the southernmost Category 4 hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin, as well as the first major hurricane in the Atlantic on record to form as low as 10°N latitude. A 91 ft (28 m) wave, possibly the largest ever recorded, was attributed to Ivan; this wave may have been as high as 131 ft (40 m). Additionally, hurricanes Charley and Ivan ranked as the third and second costliest hurricanes in the United States at the time, respectively, behind only Hurricane Andrew. With $60.41 billion in damage, this was the costliest season at the time, until the following year.
Systems
Hurricane Alex
The interaction between a trough and tropical wave resulted in the development of a tropical depression on July 31, while centered about 200 mi (320 km) east of Jacksonville, Florida. After initially being poorly organized, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Alex late on August 1. The storm tracked northeastward and became a hurricane on August 3. As Alex moved out to sea, it intensified into a Category 3 hurricane and peaked with winds of 120 mph (190 km/h). Alex reached major hurricane status second farthest north in the Atlantic, after Hurricane Ellen in 1973. Eventually, Alex weakened due to cooler sea surface temperatures. The hurricane fell to tropical storm intensity around 12:00 UTC on August 6. Six hours later, it became extratropical while located about 955 mi (1,537 km) east of Cape Race, Newfoundland, and was soon absorbed by a large extratropical cyclone.
Rough seas and a storm surge up to 6 ft (1.8 m) on the Outer Banks of North Carolina caused minor beach erosion and washed out portions of a highway in Cape Fear. A man drowned near Nags Head due to these conditions. Strong winds also pelted the area, with sustained winds reaching 77 mph (124 km/h) and gusts up to 105 mph (169 km/h) in Hatteras. As a result, 10,000 buildings and houses were left without electricity. The combination of strong winds and the storm surge damaged more than 100 buildings and houses. At Ocracoke, coastal flooding was considered the worst since Hurricane Gloria in 1985. Additionally, rainfall up to 7.55 in (192 mm) on the Outer Banks flooded nearly 500 cars. Damage in North Carolina reached about $7.5 million. In Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, three people were injured by rip currents, while five others were hospitalized in New Jersey.
Tropical Storm Bonnie
A tropical wave developed into Tropical Depression Two on August 3, while located about 315 mi (507 km) east of Barbados. The depression crossed the Lesser Antilles on August 4, before degenerating back into a tropical wave. The remnants traversed the Caribbean Sea, and re-developed into Tropical Depression Two on August 8. The depression strengthened further upon reaching the Gulf of Mexico and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Bonnie on August 9. A break in a mid-level ridge re-curved Bonnie northward on August 10 and then northeastward on August 11. Later that day, the storm peaked with winds of 65 mph (105 km/h), before wind shear began weakening it. At 14:00 UTC on August 12, Bonnie made landfall near Apalachicola, Florida with winds of 45 mph (72 km/h). The storm rapidly weakened inland and degenerated as a remnant low offshore of New Jersey on August 14.
In the Lesser Antilles, the storm brought light winds and mostly localized flooding to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The regenerated system brought light rainfall to the Yucatán Peninsula. In North Florida, scattered power outages were reported, and rainfall and storm surge flooded roads, especially in Taylor County. A tornado in Jacksonville damaged several businesses and homes. Tornadoes were also reported in The Carolinas, and Virginia, with one in North Carolina destroying 17 homes and impacting 59 others. It also caused three deaths and $1.27 million in damage. In Greenville County, South Carolina, a few roads were washed out, while portions of U.S. Route 501 were inundated with 1 ft (0.30 m) of water. Minor flooding also occurred in Mid-Atlantic and New England. In Atlantic Canada, basement and road flooding was reported, especially in Edmundston, New Brunswick, New Brunswick. Slick roads caused one death in that area.