sixth named storm fourth hurricane major hurricane atlantic hurricane season system crossed open atlantic mid late august moving north lesser antilles strengthening outer bands affected puerto_rico passing north caribbean sea storm maximum sustained wind speeds peaked miles hour achieving category saffir simpson hurricane scale system slowed forward motion eye passed close bahamas hurricane impact entire archipelago led nearly complete destruction agricultural economy passed central sections state florida weeks causing significant damage state citrus crop closing major airports schools collegiate football game storm moved briefly offshore florida northeast gulf_of_mexico second landfall florida panhandle accelerating northeast eastern united_states near atlantic_canada weakening significant tornado outbreak accompanied storm eastern united_states nearly outbreak hurricane heavy rains fell association slow moving relatively large hurricane led floods florida north_carolina total lives lost cyclone damages totaled billion dollars meteorological history strong tropical wave moved west coast africa august moving base subtropical ridge moved westward days remaining disorganized despite favorable conditions thunderstorms associated wave finally began organizing early august system tropical depression evening good upper level outflow observed eastern depression continued path depression strengthened tropical storm status august approximately miles east lesser antilles tropical storm named intensified august environment low vertical wind shear track bent west northwest rapidly intensified developing eye reaching hurricane strength late afternoon approaching upper level trough caused northwesterly august cyclone reached primary peak intensity miles hour august hurricane turned original westward motion august upper trough moved away region subtropical ridge strengthened north day hurricane underwent eyewall replacement cycle maximum sustained winds decreased miles hour weakening trend short lived storm afternoon august vertical wind shear remained low storm continued strengthening turned west northwestward reaching peak intensity miles hour september miles east southeast florida september entered bahamas passing directly close storm weakened category hurricane initially attributed inner core processes increasing westerly winds aloft resultant vertical wind shear later determined cause september passed vicinity directly grand continuing slowly weaken storm regained category hurricane intensity prior passing slowed forward speed weakness subtropical ridge north parts south florida began affected outer rainbands hurricane time gusts miles hour high miles hour reported miami moved slowly miles hour crossed warm bahamas florida leading concern remained stable category intensity miles hour maximum sustained winds battered east coast florida fort pierce september western edge eyewall began moving onshore large eye roughly miles slow forward motion center circulation remained offshore hours september utc center broad eye landfall florida coast southern end near point florida late september picked speed strengthening high pressure system north crossed florida peninsula emerging gulf_of_mexico near tampa tropical storm short trip second landfall near florida headed inland weakening tropical depression causing heavy rainfall southern turned northeast united_states continued issuing advisories system crossed canada united_states border quebec heavy rainfall fell preparations tropical storm watch issued islands afternoon august upgraded warning night expanded include islands antigua hurricane watch issued night august northern northern morning august hurricane watch downgraded tropical storm watch afternoon hurricane watches changed tropical storm warnings puerto_rico northern virgin islands tropical storm watch issued remaining hurricane watches dropped night tropical storm watches issued eastern portions northern coast dominican_republic tropical storm warning issued guadeloupe early morning august tropical storm warnings dropped hurricane watches issued southeast bahamas turks islands hurricane watches upgraded hurricane warnings later morning noon tropical storm warnings issued remainder northern coast dominican_republic hurricane watch issued central bahamas watches warnings dropped northeast portion dominican_republic portions lesser antilles south afternoon tropical storm warnings dropped puerto_rico eastward morning september hurricane watch issued northwest bahamas watch central bahamas upgraded warning afternoon warnings dropped dominican_republic evening september hurricane warnings issued northwest bahamas hurricane watches issued lower east coast florida tropical storm watches issued potential catastrophic damage florida heavily populated east coast warnings damages exceed losses hurricane andrew damage estimates anticipation strike florida strong category hurricane preparations storm stepped florida september governor declared state emergency closed evacuations people initially ordered eventually counties received evacuation orders covering million residents largest evacuation florida history state education system responded pending crisis universities florida canceled classes told students leave evacuation performed basis closed week half schools shut southern south melbourne days hurricane annual college football game rescheduled following week early morning september hurricane watches extended southward later morning hurricane watches upgraded hurricane warnings lower east coast florida hurricane watch tropical storm warning raised florida keys hurricane warnings dropped turks late morning september late night late morning september hurricane watches issued northeast coast florida early afternoon tropical storm warnings issued area hurricane warnings dropped central bahamas afternoon night tropical storm warnings issued southwest coast florida peninsula watches issued northwest florida peninsula morning september tropical storm warnings extended northward georgia coast tropical storm watches extended northward afternoon hurricane watches dropped northwest bahamas warnings extended coast florida watches extended westward florida early morning september hurricane warnings downgraded tropical storm warnings south florida tropical storm warnings extended westward western florida keys later morning hurricane warnings issued northwest florida coast hurricane watches lowered northeast florida hurricane warnings dropped remainder northwest bahamas afternoon warnings dropped southeast florida south remaining hurricane warnings east florida coast downgraded tropical storm warnings hurricane warnings coast western florida extended southward late night tropical storm warnings dropped south including florida keys early morning september warnings dropped florida south beach later morning hurricane warnings downgraded tropical storm warnings indian pass remaining warnings dropped south florida east coast georgia coast afternoon hurricane warnings downgraded tropical storm warnings warnings dropped west south river night september remaining tropical cyclone warnings dropped impact economic effect felt early storm struck labor day weekend traditionally final summer vacation weekend united_states hotel reservations south_carolina florida cancelled people seeing destruction caused weeks earlier decided avoid coastal areas safety death bahamas ohio florida directly attributed storm deaths florida georgia bahamas ohio indirectly attributed total civilian damage determined approximately dollars add estimated million damage dollars space military facilities kennedy space center cape air force station florida total damage estimated billion dollars making fourth hurricane united_states history time hurricane andrew time adjusted inflation seventh hurricane lower united_states flooding reported pittsburgh pennsylvania minor flooding happened banks rivers damage associated river tributaries bahamas island chain lost power hours storm damage occurred downed trees wooden homes percent non native australian pine experienced damage primarily snapping salt spray noted feet water flooded international airport bahamas estimated industry losses million dollars cool season vegetable entire banana crop lost crop significantly impacted wind damage entire fruit crop lost similar reasons corn crop long_island completely lost significant losses experienced florida near point landfall structures destroyed ocean barrier island limited extent damage far exceeded hurricane wind damage citrus led near total loss near coast east central florida melbourne lesser damage farther west basin hurricane citrus losses totaled billion dollars significant tree damage reported golf courses average trees experiencing damage course areas florida received inches rain system moved slowly state heavy rains caused large develop interstate closed highway traffic similar hurricane earlier month florida citrus crops took large amounts damage caused heavy damage large kennedy space center thousand foot aluminum panels clad building caused damage dollars damage significantly greater external fuel tanks space shuttle building undamaged space shuttle discovery hangar power total damage space military facilities florida reported million dollars orlando florida theme parks closed sunday time closed hurricane second time month georgia dropped significant rain florida georgia alabama passage tropical depression georgia dumped inches rain state caused schools counties georgia winds miles hour gusts miles hour led downing tree branches power lines point september total residences power significant crop damage seen particularly cotton crops average percent crops lost carolinas flooding reported mid atlantic northeast states particularly strip induced rainfall produced inches rain areas western north_carolina warm tropical air mountains flooding near north_carolina caused major break water distribution system leaving city water days significant crop damage seen north_carolina reported million crop damage spawned tornadoes florida far north virginia shy single storm tornado record set hurricane power outages affected million people airports closed storm canada extratropical cyclone passed southern ontario storm dropped inches washing roads causing localized flooding quebec new_brunswick newfoundland rainfall smashed time rainfall records hour period rain fell hour period ottawa train line halted landslide railroad corridor major roads ottawa inches water locally chest high million million usd damage reported ontario aftermath bahamas hurricane impact entire archipelago september teams clear roadways tree debris utilities attempted restore power water family islands surveyed september noted major damage occurred island group telecommunications restored island chain hours september electricity restored half lost power western sections remained power hurricane significantly impacted island crop expected late loss storm florida aftermath storm colleges school districts florida remained closed president declared florida federal disaster area kennedy space center restore complete work force september relief operations lack gasoline ice water area total members national_guard helped recovery efforts soon storm left florida peninsula residents areas impact storm water order lack electricity area water systems churches prepared meals power food federal employees granted helped law enforcement cleanup thousands portable generators sent state home improvement stores installed blue damaged roofs statewide damage florida citrus crop caused orange rise cents pound georgia carolinas september southern thirds georgia declared disaster president bush state lost percent crop led price rise late october lost peach trees expected lower output increase peach prices disaster declaration northeast section south_carolina october september president bush declared counties north_carolina disaster area making eligible million dollars public assistance removed exhibit midway fair trout lost storm armstrong state fish red_cross volunteers distributed gallons water volunteers days determined needed million order buy willing businesses homes retirement effects united_states retired spring atlantic hurricane replaced season request france meeting removed rotating cyclone lists hurricane season wasn destructive destruction caused united_states warrant retirement merit
Hurricane Frances