Hurricane Charley at the RRC

On Friday, August 13, 2004, the eye of Hurricane Charley passed directly over the Randell Research Center at Pineland.  Though only one small part of a much broader natural disaster, the Pineland site and the RRC headquarters building both experienced significant damage from the fast-moving storm, and transformed the landscape in many ways.  The following images from that day and the following Saturday morning give some idea of the damage experienced that day.

National Weather Service radar image from 3:11 p.m. on Friday the 13th, showing the eyewall just after it had passed across Pineland heading north-northeast.

 

The RRC main gate along Waterfront Drive on Saturday morning, as storm clouds finally recede.  Note standing water, damaged sign and fence, and fallen trees.

 

View of the Pineland site looking eastward from the summit of Brown's Mound, showing inundated canal/water-court area and gumbo limbo trees stripped of all leaves and most outer branches.

 

Fallen trees on stairwell leading to Brown's Mound summit.

 

RRC headquarters at the historic Gill House, showing damage to roof and siding.

 

View of debris and fallen trees clogging breezeway and back yard of RRC headquarters.