# Presentation: 134197

## Florida – Hurricanes August/September 2004

- Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division
- Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA

**For more information, contact Carl Gernazio**
**gernazio@fas.usda.gov**
**202-690-0136**

- FFAS - Center for Remote Sensing Analysis

- PECAD

**Florida – Hurricanes ****August/September 2004**

**Notes:**
Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley both hit Florida.  Bonnie for the most part brought beneficial moisture as the state was trending dry.  Hurricane Charley slammed into southwestern Florida on Friday, August 13, the eye crossing the shoreline near Port Charlotte, at about 5:00 PM EDT.  By morning August 14, Charley had beaten a destructive swath diagonally across the state, exiting at Daytona Beach.  

Hurricane Frances made landfall at the Martin and St. Lucie County border at 1 AM on September 5, 2004 with sustained winds at 105 mph.  Hurricane force wind made landfall from Ft. Lauderdale in the south to Titusville in the north.  Hurricane-force winds of 75 mph reached as far west as Lakeland, in Polk County.  Besides winds, the extended damage from Frances was from very heavy rainfall.  After leaving the peninsula at Pasco County, Tropical Storm Frances then re-entered the Panhandle of Florida at Wakulla County and tracked north into Georgia and the Carolinas, bringing very heavy rain.

## Track of Charley – WAOB map

**Notes:**
This map is provided by the World Agricultural Outlook Board, showing the path of Hurricane Charley.  Note winds were at hurricane strength during its entire journey across Florida.  

## Florida Crop WeatherSummarized from report by USDA-NASSReleased – August 17, 2004

**Weather Summary Report:  **Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley both hit the State during the week of August 9 – 15.  Bonnie formed in the Gulf of Mexico and brought major precipitation to the Panhandle on August 11.  On August 13, Hurricane Charley plowed a destructive swath across the Peninsula from Port Charlotte to Daytona Beach causing very extensive damage due to hurricane force winds and heavy rains.  Heavy rainfall was reported in stations all across the Panhandle and the Central Peninsula, with over six inches reported in Apopka, Avalon, Daytona Beach, Madison, Jefferson, and Santa Rosa.  Temperatures were normal in Miami as well as West Palm Beach, whereas other major cities were one to three degrees below normal.  Pensacola reported five degrees below normal.  Daytime highs were in the upper 80s and lower 90s.  Nighttime lows were in the high 60s and low 70s.
**Field Crop Reports:  **Wet conditions may delay the first digging of peanuts, expected by the end of the week to early next week.  Tobacco yield, as well as the quality, is poor due to diseases.  Since much of central and northern Florida was trending dry, the heavy rainfall was mostly welcomed news for cotton and peanuts.  Moisture also improved hay fields, which were becoming too dry.
**Vegetable Report:  **Heavy rains delayed some fall field preparations, especially in the southern Peninsula.
**Livestock Report:**  Pasture conditions vary from fair to excellent.  Moisture improved pasture conditions statewide.
**Citrus Report:**  Hurricane Charley passed directly through three major citrus producing counties on Friday causing extensive damage and loss to trees and green fruit on either side of the hurricane’s path.  The storm, with winds measuring up to 100 mph in a tight pattern around the eye, passed directly through DeSoto, Hardee, Polk, Orange, and Seminole counties.  Reports indicate pushed over trees, broken limbs, and green fruit on the ground in many areas.  Assessments of loss will follow, when NASS can get out into the growing areas.  Growers are not able to enter some groves at this time because of blocked roads and standing water.

**Notes:**
Summary of NASS’ first, after Hurricane Charley crop condition and weather summary.

While citrus trees where damaged, and green fruit was knocked off of trees, NASS could not get out for field evaluations and will include a more precise analysis in the next report.

The heavy rains benefited pasture and hay crop conditions and also the next cycle of vegetable and fall-planted crops.  Florida was trending dry 
before the storms.

## NASS Citrus Prod. Map – with Charley Track - PECAD

**Winds – 85 to 140 mph.**

**Winds – 39 to 73 mph.**

**The area shaded red accounted for**
**just under 52 percent of last year’s **
**citrus production.**

**Hurricane Charley**
**Sustained Wind-speed**

**Notes:**
Another map showing the areas of high winds.  The red swath shows the area where hurricane-strength (> 75 mph) winds crossed the state.  The orange lines indicate the boundary of gale force winds, 39 mph – 74 mph.  The area shaded in red accounted for just under 52 percent of Florida’s 2002-03 citrus production.  

## Florida – NOAA 15, July 6, 2004

**July 6, 2004**

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**Notes:**
A clear NOAA 15 view of Florida, dated July 6, 2004.  

## Florida – NOAA 15,  August 17, 2004

**August 17, 2004**

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**Notes:**
This is the clearest NOAA 15 scene we have received since the storms.  While cloudy, we can see increased in standing water from the July scene.  The next slides give a better view.

## NOAA 15, Charley, pre-landfall August 13, 2004

**NOAA 15, Ch. 2,1,1 = R,G,B**
**August 13, 2004**

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**Arrow points to the eye of Charley,**
**Friday morning.**

**Notes:**
The arrow points to the eye of Charley on the NOAA 15, Friday morning, August 13 scene.

## NOAA 15, Florida – Comparing July 6 to August 17, 2004

**NOAA 15, Ch. 2,1,1 = R,G,B**
**July 6, 2004**

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**NOAA 15, Ch. 2,1,1 = R,G,B**
**August 17, 2004**

**Notes:**
Several lakes and the Peace River are larger on the August post Charley scene compared to the July scene.  The yellow arrows point this out.

## NOAA 15 – Charley – Morning August 14. 2004

**NOAA 15, Ch. 2,1,1 = R,G,B**
**August 14, 2004**

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**Charley**

**Charley was well on his way north**
**by 7:00 am Saturday morning, about to make**
**landfall again in South Carolina.**

**Notes:**
NOAA 15 scene:  Charley was well on his way north by 7:00 am Saturday morning, about to make landfall again in South Carolina

## 24 Hour Precipitation (mm)

**Bonnie and a Stationary Front**
**August 13, 2004 **
**As of 5:00 am**

**Charlie and a Stationary Front**
**August 14, 2004 **
**As of 5:00 am**

**Charlie and  a Stationary Front**
**August 15, 2004 **
**As of 5:00 am**

**Climate Prediction **
**Center **

**Notes:**
24 hr. Precipitation maps, provided by NOAA – CPC.

## Cumulative Rainfall Map

**Notes:**
Cumulative precipitation maps of rainfall for Florida, from Hurricane Charlie and Tropical Storm Bonnie.  The two darkest areas in central Florida received from 6 to 8 inches of rain in about 24 hours.  

## NE – Charlotte County, Florida

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**Landsat 7, Ch. 4,5,3 = R,G,B**
**August 17, 2004**

**Citrus**

**Wet**
**fields**

**Notes:**
Landsat 7 scene, two days after Charley.  Some wet and flooded fields are easily visible and marked.  Resolution not adequate to see tree damage or dropped fruit. The green “tractor marks” on the right hand side of the image show the data gaps from the satellite image, and are not part of our analysis.

## NE – Charlotte County, Florida

**NE – Charlotte County, Florida**

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**Citrus**

**Map of approximately the**
**same area as the Landsat**
**scene.  More images and **
**analysis will follow. **

**Notes:**
Map of about the same area as the satellite image.  More before and after images are on order from our satellite data vendors.
We will provide you analysis as the data comes in.

## Landsat 5 – Before and After

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**Landsat 5, Ch. 4,5,3 = R,G,B**

**Before Charley – July 24, 2004**

**After Charley – August 25, 2004**

**Notes:**
The August 25, 2004 image is much wetter.  In DeSoto and Hardee counties, flooding of the Peace River and Horse Creek are evident on August 25, as examples.  Much more standing water is evident in most counties in the August scene.  The orange box on the right-hand image locates  DeSoto and Hardee counties.

## Peace River – Hardee County, Florida

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**Landsat 5, Ch. 4,5,3 = R,G,B**

**Before Charley – July 24, 2004**

**After Charley – August 25, 2004**

***Peace River ***

***Peace River***** **

**Notes:**
There is much more water in the Peace River on August 25, compared to July 24, 2004, flooding is evident.  This is in an area that was soaked by rain from Frances and subsequent storms in September.  The bright orange areas are some field crops, including irrigated fields.

## Peace River – De Soto County, Florida

**Peace River – De Soto County, Florida**

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**Landsat 5, Ch. 4,5,3 = R,G,B**

**Before Charley – July 24, 2004**

**After Charley – August 25, 2004**

***Peace River ***

***Peace River***** **

***Horse Creek***** **

***Horse Creek***** **

**Notes:**
There is much more water in Horse Creek and the Peace River on August 25, compared to July 24, 2004, flooding is evident.  This is in an area that was soaked by rain from Frances and subsequent storms in September.  The bright orange areas are field crops.

## A SPOT Scene – Southwest Florida

**A SPOT Scene – Southwest Florida**

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**SPOT 4, Mid_IR, Wide-IR, Red Channels **

**After Charley – August 16, 2004**
**Charlotte County border is in dark**
** ****blue.  The area shown in the **
**next scene is highlighted in**
**light blue.**

**Notes:**
This is an August 16, 2004 SPOT 4 multi-spectral scene.  Heavy damage to buildings will be evident when you view the Quickbird images that follow.  Even the better-than-30-meter resolution of SPOT 4 is not high enough to see the damage to buildings in this area.  

## A SPOT Scene – Southwest Florida

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**SPOT 4, Mid_IR, Wide-IR, Red Channels **

**Notes:**
This is an August 16, 2004 SPOT 4 multi-spectral scene, full resolution sub-section.  The blue area is approximately the area show in the first pair of Quickbird images.

## Punta Gorda  - Charlotte County Airport Map

**Notes:**
The orange highlighted area contains the area shown in the Quickbird high resolution true color satellite images.  These next images illustrate how infrastructure damage can be assessed using high resolution imagery, much higher resolution than the multi-spectral Landsat TM or SPOT 4 sensors.

## QuickBird – March 23, 2004Oceanside

**Digital Globe – QuickBird  March 23, 2004 – Oceanside Punta Gorda, Florida     **

**Notes:**
QuickBird scene – for a “before/after” comparison.  

## QuickBird – August 14, 2004Oceanside

**Digital Globe – QuickBird  August 14, 2004 – Oceanside Punta Gorda, Florida     **

**Notes:**
QuickBird scene – August 14, 2004 for comparison with March 23, 2004 scene.  

## QuickBird – March 23, 2004Mobile Home Park

**Digital Globe – QuickBird  March 23, 2004 – Mobile Home Park, Punta Gorda, Florida     **

**Notes:**
QuickBird scene – for a Before/After comparison.

## QuickBird – August 14, 2004Mobile Home Park

**Digital Globe – QuickBird  August 14, 2004 – “Mobile Home Park”, Punta Gorda, Florida     **

**Notes:**
QuickBird scene – August 14, 2004 for comparison with March 23, 2004 scene.  

## Hurricane Frances 

**Notes:**
A track map of Hurricane Frances, overlaid on a Florida county citrus production map.  The light gray are minor citrus producing counties and the dark gray are major citrus producers.  Hurricane force winds are highlighted by the black hashed area.  Hurricane force winds hit all the eastern citrus counties, including the Indian River region, which missed most of Charley’s high winds. 

## NOAA 17, Frances, post-landfall September 5, 2004

**NOAA 17, Ch. 2,1,1 = R,G,B**
**September 5, 2004**

**FFAS Center for **
**Remote Sensing **
**Analysis**

**Hurricane Frances a few hours after landfall.**

**Notes:**
The arrow points to the eye of Charley on the NOAA 15, Friday morning, August 13 scene.

## Florida Crop Weather Released September 7, 2004 – Florida Ag. Statistics Service

**Weather Summary Report**
**Rain totals in the major cities for the week of August 29through September 4 ranged from less than half an inch at Orlando to over nine inches at West Palm Beach. Temperatures in the major cities hovered within two degrees of normal with daytime highs in the 80s and 90s and night time lows in the 60s and 70s. Post Hurricane Frances preliminary rain totals for seven days ending on Labor Day were eight to twelve inches inmost southeastern Peninsula counties, four to twelve inches in some inland central Peninsula counties, one to eight inches over the northwest Peninsula and one to four inches in the Panhandle. A few localities in the Panhandle and a large portion of Miami-Dade County did not receive any rain from Hurricane Frances. Strong winds tossed crops and heavy rains flooded fields in areas affected by the storm. **
**Field Crops Report **
**In Washington County, corn harvesting is ahead of schedule. Peanuts, cotton, as well as soybeans needed some precipitation prior to the hurricane. Peanuts, statewide, were rated one percent poor, 23 percent fair, 55 percent good and 21 percent excellent. Producers in Madison County increased peanut digging due to the anticipation of prolonged wet weather. Wet fields are delaying some peanut harvesting over the northern Peninsula and Panhandle. Topsoil and subsoil moisture were mostly adequate to surplus, and a few localities in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula reported short to very short moisture supplies prior to the storm. Storm damage to peanuts and cotton is currently being assessed with early reports showing only limited damage over the Panhandle. Acreage in the far western Panhandle suffered no effects from the storm. **
**Vegetable Report**
**Strong winds tossed plastic laid for fall crop planting and tattered leaves on crops planted earlier in some southern Peninsula areas with most acreage expected to recover. Growers in East Coast areas are currently assessing damages with some losses expected. Wind-borne sandblasted immature fruit in some older fields. Some producers are delaying planting to avoid possible damage from another tropical system while a few others may not plant fall crops. Some producers sprayed plants for disease control after the hurricane passed. Most acreage in Miami-Dade County escaped damage from Hurricane Frances with okra harvesting very active prior to the storm.****	**** **

**Notes:**
Florida NASS report – released September 7, 2004, Page 1 of 2

## Florida Crop Weather Released September 7, 2004 – Florida Ag. Statistics ServicePage 2.

**Fruit Report **
**Citrus: For the second time in nearly three weeks, a strong hurricane crossed the state affecting citrus growing areas; this time, causing major loss to grapefruit. Hurricane Frances entered the state on the east coast near Stuart and moved west northwest through St. Lucie, Okeechobee, central Polk and Hillsborough counties, and exited the State north of Tampa. The paths of the two storms crossed just south of Alturas in south central Polk County. Winds up to and exceeding 100 mph were experienced in all areas of the east coast from north Volusia to Palm Beach counties. The wind gusts extended inland enough to affect most citrus in all the east coast counties. Reports are very preliminary but indicate more fruit loss on grapefruit than oranges with limited tree mortality. Heavy rainfall has left high water in many groves and ditches, and a high priority is being placed on moving this water away from tree roots. As the hurricane moved through other areas of the State, it remained strong but winds diminished as it moved further west and north. Groves hard hit from Hurricane Charley continue to drop fruit as growers assess damage and move downed trees to provide access to groves. Cultural practices continue in unaffected areas including fertilizations, hedging, mechanical and chemical weed control and the resetting of young trees. **
**Livestock Report**
**All areas have some flooded pastures. Heavy rain and high winds from Hurricane Francis damaged some dairies in the Panhandle and in the southeastern and central Peninsula. Power outages have delayed milking on some dairies in the hurricane's path. Scheduled milk pickup was disrupted by weather problems at some plants. Pasture conditions Statewide before the hurricane, were mostly good. Statewide, most of the cattle are in good condition. **

**Notes:**
Florida NASS report –released September 7, 2004, Page 2 of 2.

## National Weather Service – Significant River Flood Outlook

**Notes:**
Besides wind damage, the significant damage from Frances and subsequent rain was multi-day overland and river flooding.  Up to 30 percent of the citrus trees in the Indian River area were damaged or destroyed.  While more than 90 percent were affected by multi-days of standing water.  This lose of oxygen to root systems will cause death to some of the weaker trees, but undoubtedly cause the trees to drop remaining set fruit, that young green fruit that was not already knocked of by the Hurricane strength winds.  

## Cumulative Rainfall Map

**Notes:**
Cumulative precipitation maps of rainfall for Florida, from Hurricane Frances and subsequent rainfall through September 15, 2004.  

## Florida Crop WeatherReleased September 13, 2004 – Florida Ag. Statistics Service

**Weather Summary Report **

- Rain bands crossed the Peninsula as Hurricane Frances moved northward during the week of September 6 through 12, causing substantial flood damage in many areas. Significant rainfall at the major stations ranged from no precipitation at Pensacola to over twelve inches at Marion; however, some localities may have received more than the “official” recorded amount. Temperatures for the week averaged from two degrees below to two degrees above normal at the major stations. Daytime highs were in the upper 80s and lower 90s. Nighttime lows were in the high 60s and low 70s.
**Field Crops Report **
- Soil moisture supplies in the Panhandle and southern Peninsula are short to adequate while central and northern Peninsula moisture is adequate to surplus. In Jefferson County, limb breakage and uprooted trees have left much of the remaining pecan crop lost. Producers in Leon County report there will be a shortage in hay supplies this winter. Cotton is maturing rapidly in Santa Rosa County with some early planted fields nearing defoliation time. Peanuts are in good to excellent condition. Clearer conditions allowed peanut producers to rapidly advance harvesting with 20 percent of the crop dug. Twelve percent of the peanuts were harvested by this date last year.** **
**Vegetable Report **
- Okra harvesting is active in Dade County. Fall field preparations for vegetables continue in southern and central Peninsula localities although rainfall delayed many activities. Some growers lost plastic ground cover and some new plants due to the hurricane winds and rain.** **
**Livestock Report **
- In the Panhandle, pastures and hay fields look good. There is some concern that hay supplies will be short this winter. In the Big Bend, central and southwest areas, low spots in pastures are flooded from Hurricane Frances. Most pastures on the east coast and across the lower Peninsula are saturated and some are completely under water. Statewide, the condition of the cattle decreased significantly** **

**Page 1 of 2**

**Notes:**
Florida Crop Weather Report – after Hurricane Frances
Released September 13, 2004 – Florida Agricultural Statistics Service
Page 1 of 2

## Florida Crop WeatherReleased September 13, 2004 – Florida Ag. Statistics Service

**Fruit Report **

- Citrus: Unstable weather conditions occurred over the State following the passage of Hurricane Frances on Sunday the 5th with rainfall amounts variable. Hot temperatures returned with high humidity levels. Slow moving, heavy thunderstorms developed over wide areas with coastal and many interior areas receiving heavy rains on several days. Lakes and rivers are at their highest levels in many months. Growers continue to report many trees blown over or broken from both hurricanes in the interior counties and in the east coast counties. Groves hard hit from both hurricanes continue to drop fruit as growers assess damage and move downed trees to provide access to groves. Growers are trying to move excess water from groves as quickly as possible. Summer sprays are being applied to crops designated for fresh use as rainfall permits.

**Page 2 of 2**

**Notes:**
Florida Crop Weather Report – after Hurricane Frances
Released September 13, 2004 – Florida Agricultural Statistics Service
Page 1 of 2

## Florida Department of Citrus – September 9, 2004 Statement on Hurricane Frances

- Three weeks after Hurricane Charley pounded Florida’s Gulf coast, another powerful hurricane has slammed into Florida’s east coast. Our hearts go out to all of our fellow Floridians who have been affected by these storms.
- Hurricane Frances has compounded the dire situation left in Charley’s wake and devastated the homes and livelihoods of many more Floridians, including Florida’s citrus growers. Although it is too early to tell the extent of the damage, we know that many grapefruit and orange growers have been affected.  The Florida Department of Citrus is working with other state, federal and industry associations on behalf of the citrus growers to take the necessary steps to help rebuild Florida’s citrus industry and help the state recover.
- St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River and Palm Beach counties, all citrus producing counties, were hit hardest. These counties account for almost 200,000 acres of Florida citrus production – nearly 80,000 acres of grapefruit production (the equivalent of 73 percent of the grapefruit crop) and approximately 112,000 acres of orange production (the equivalent of 17 percent of the orange crop).  St. Lucie and Indian River grow the bulk of the total.
- While it’s too early to know the exact damage at this point, we know a lot of this year’s orange and grapefruit crops have been lost because of the storms.
- The Florida Department of Citrus is an executive agency of the Florida government charged with the marketing, research and regulation of the Florida citrus industry.  Florida is one of the world’s leading producers of oranges, grapefruits and specialty citrus fruits, with more than 95 percent of Florida oranges processed into orange juice.  The industry employs 90,000 Floridians and provides a $9 billion annual economic impact to the state.
- For more information, contact Andrew Meadows at (863)499-2516.

**Notes:**
Florida Department of Citrus – Sept. 9, 2004 Statement on Hurricane Frances

## The End