<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Atlantic hurricane seasons 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 </Td> </Tr> <P> The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest Atlantic hurricane season on record only to be surpassed by the following year . More than half of the 16 tropical cyclones brushed or struck the United States . The season was typically active due to a Modoki El Niño--a rare type of El Niño in which unfavorable conditions are produced over the eastern Pacific instead of the Atlantic basin due to warmer sea surface temperatures farther west along the equatorial Pacific--activity was above average . The season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30, though the last storm dissipated on December 3 . The first storm, Alex, developed offshore of the Southeastern United States on July 31 . It brushed the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic, causing one death and $7.5 million (2004 USD) in damage . Several storms caused only minor damage, including tropical storms Bonnie, Earl, Hermine, and Matthew . In addition, hurricanes Danielle, Karl, and Lisa, Tropical Depression Ten, Subtropical Storm Nicole and Tropical Storm Otto had no effect on land while tropical cyclones . </P> <P> There are four notables storms: Hurricane Charley, that made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir--Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS), causing $15.1 billion in damage in the United States alone . Later in August, Hurricane Frances struck the Bahamas and Florida, causing at least 49 deaths and $9.5 billion in damage . The most intense storm, and the one that caused the most damage, was Hurricane Ivan . It was a Category 5 hurricane that devastated multiple countries adjacent to the Caribbean Sea, before entering the Gulf of Mexico and causing catastrophic destruction on the Gulf Coast of the United States, especially Alabama and Florida . Throughout the countries it passed through, Ivan left 129 fatalities and over $23.33 billion in damage . The most significant tropical cyclone in terms of deaths was Hurricane Jeanne . In Haiti, torrential rainfall in the mountainous areas resulted in mudslides and severe flooding, causing at least 3,006 fatalities . Jeanne also struck Florida, inflicting extensive destruction . Overall, the storm caused at least $8.1 billion in damage and 3,042 deaths . </P> <P> Collectively, the storms of this season caused at least 3,270 deaths and about $57.37 billion in damage, making it the costliest Atlantic hurricane season at the time, until surpassed by the following year . With six hurricanes reaching at least Category 3 intensity, 2004 also had the most major hurricanes since 1996 . However, that record would also be surpassed in 2005, with seven major hurricanes that year . In the spring of 2005, four names were retired: Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne . This tied the then - record most names retired with 1955 and 1995, while five were retired in 2005 . </P>

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