Top Weather Stories of 2004 (PART THREE)

Continuing with our list of major weather events from 2004:

6. Record number of Typhoons in Japan: Typhoon Tokage raked the Japanese islands between October 19-21, killing 79 people. It was the most fatalities from a typhoon in Japan since October 1979. Tokage was the tenth typhoon to affect Japan during the year, which was a new record. The old record was six.

5. Kansas Tornadoes: Significant tornadoes struck Harper County, Kansas on May 12th and again on May 29th. I was there to view seven of the nine tornadoes on the 29th. There were eleven tornadoes on the 12th.

4. Alabama November Tornado Outbreak: An outbreak of severe weather on the afternoon of the 23rd and the early morning hours of the 24th produced sixteen tornadoes across the state. Four of the tornadoes were rated as F2 intensity.

3. Indian Ocean Tsunami: A massive undersea earthquake during the early morning hours of December 26th off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra (magnitude 9.0) produced a tsunami that spread out across the Indian Ocean like ripples from a stone thrown in a pond. As the tsunami reached shore across Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives and Bangladesh. Over 77,000 people died.

2. Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne all target Central Florida: Hurricane Charley became the strongest and most damaging hurricane to strike the U.S. since 1992’s Hurricane Andrew. The category four hurricane produced a 180 mph wind gust at Punta Gorda, Florida. Twenty two people died and total damages amounted to $15 billion. Hurricane Frances made landfall near Sewell’s Point, Florida on September 5th with winds of 105 mph. It caused more extensive damage as it crossed the Florida Peninsula and produced over 100 tornadoes over the Southeast. Twenty three people died as a result of the storm. Frances also caused extensive flooding in the Asheville, NC area. Jeanne made landfall at very nearly the same location as did Frances on September 26th with top winds of 120 mph. The hurricane produced more extensive damage as it crossed the Sunshine State before exiting into the Gulf. Ten people died from Hurricane Jeanne in the U.S.

Final part tomorrow...