Portal:Tropical cyclones/Featured article/Effects of Hurricane Charley in South Carolina

The effects of Hurricane Charley in South Carolina included $20 million (2004 USD) in damage and approximately 135,000 power outages. Hurricane Charley lasted from August 9 to August 15, and at its peak intensity it attained 150 mph (240 km/h) winds, making it a strong Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. The storm made landfall in southwestern Florida at maximum strength, thus making it the strongest hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Andrew struck Florida twelve years before, in 1992.

Prior to the storm, Governor Mark Sanford declared a state of emergency as Charley approached its final landfall and issued a mandatory evacuation for residents on barrier islands and in coastal locations. About 180,000 people evacuated the Grand Strand. Peak winds in the state were clocked at 63 mph at the Isle of Palms. The storm also spawned winds of 58 mph at Folly Beach and 51 mph in downtown Charleston. Numerous trees, tree limbs and electrical poles were knocked down in those regions. Flash flooding was also reported with rainfall peaking at over 7 in. No fatalities occurred.

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