Hurricane Jeanne
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
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| Formed | September 13, 2004 as Tropical Depression Eleven |
| Wind Speed | 105 mph (170 km/h) |
| Category | Two |
| Territories affected | |
Hurricane Jeanne is the tenth named storm and the sixth hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It has affected the United States Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the south-eastern Bahamas.
Storm history
Tropical Depression Eleven formed from a tropical wave 70 miles (110 km) east-southeast of Guadeloupe in the evening of September 13, and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Jeanne the next day. It passed south of the U.S. Virgin Islands on September 15 and made landfall near Yabucoa, Puerto Rico later the same day. After crossing Puerto Rico it reached hurricane strength on September 16 near the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola, but fell back to tropical storm strength later that day as it moved inland across the Dominican Republic. Jeanne continued to move slowly over the Dominican Republic on September 17 before finally leaving the island late that afternoon. By that time, Jeanne had declined one more level, to tropical depression strength.
On September 18, while the system was being tracked near Great Inagua, a new center formed well to the north-east and the previous circulation dissipated. The new center strengthened again, becoming a hurricane on September 20.
Current status
At 2 pm EDT on September 23 (1500 UTC), Jeanne was centered about 440 miles (705 km) east of Great Abaco moving west at 6 mph (9 km/h). Jeanne is a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 105 mph (170 km/h).
The forecast track has Jeanne continuing its slow anticyclonic loop, curving to the west and then accelerating. Jeanne is currently forecast to pass through the northern Bahamas, and to make landfall on the Florida coastline on September 26. Moderate strengthening, possibly to Category 3, is expected during the next few days before Jeanne reaches the mainland.
Current watches and warnings
- A hurricane watch is in effect for the north-western Bahamas
- A tropical storm watch is in effect for the central Bahamas, including Cat Island, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador.
Impact
Most of the 4 million inhabitants of Puerto Rico were left without power, and 600,000 without running water. Landslides caused a large amount of damage to the exotic vegetation in the Caribbean National Forest. Seven people were reported killed.
During its slow progress over the northern Dominican Republic, the storm damaged many homes in the town of Samaná. At least 18 deaths are attributed to Jeanne in this country.
Heavy rains (totaling about 13 inches (33 cm)) in the northern mountains of Haiti caused severe flooding and mudslides in the Artibonite region of the country, causing particular damage in the coastal city of Gonaïves, where it affected about 80,000 of the city's 100,000 residents. As of Thursday, September 23, at least 1070 people have been reported dead: 1013 in Gonaïves, and 58 elsewhere in Haiti. [1] [2]. Relief workers expect the total to rise even further, as at least 1,200 people are missing. The flooding occured well after the center of the storm had left Haiti, and outside the areas covered by storm warnings.