Hurricane Frances

Pre-Landfall 7 | Summary
Posting Date: September 4, 2004, 10:00:00 AM

As of 2:00 p.m. EDT, Hurricane Frances is located about 70 miles east of Palm Beach, Florida. Frances remains a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of near 105 mph. The storm is now moving to the west-northwest at just 5 mph. This would put the center onshore either very late tonight or early tomorrow morning, though sustained hurricane force winds will likely arrive earlier. Hurricane Frances’s windfield continues to spread out and the eye now measures some 60 miles in diameter. Hurricane force winds extend outward to 105 miles from the storm’s center and tropical storm force winds extend up to 185 miles. Gusts of up to 90 mph have already been reported at Jupiter Inlet, just south of Port St. Lucie, Florida. Coastal storm surge flooding of 4 to 6 feet above normal tide is expected near the landfall area and to the north. There are some indications that Frances has become a little better organized in the last few hours. However, time is running out and the consensus forecast is that Hurricane Frances will arrive onshore at or near its current intensity. Because the center of the storm is not expected to cross the Florida coast until late tonight or early tomorrow, AIR will provide the next full posting tomorrow after landfall.

Pre-Landfall 7 | Downloads
Posting Date: September 4, 2004, 10:00:00 AM