Hurricane Jeanne

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Hurricane Jeanne
Category 3 hurricane (SSHS)
Hurricane Jeanne as a Category 3 on September 25, 2004, approaching Florida

Hurricane Jeanne as a Category 3 on September 25, 2004, approaching Florida
Formed September 13, 2004
Dissipated September 28, 2004
Highest
winds
120 mph (195 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure 950 mbar (hPa; 28.06 inHg)
Fatalities 3,035+ direct
Damage $7 billion (2004 USD)
$8 billion (2008 USD)
Areas
affected
U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bahamas, Florida; flooding and damage in other eastern U.S. states
Part of the
2004 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Jeanne was the tenth named storm, the seventh hurricane, and the fifth major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It was also the third hurricane and fourth named storm of the season to landfall in Florida. Jeanne affected the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the north-eastern Bahamas, and the U.S. state of Florida. The worst damage occurred in Haiti, where over 3,000 people died as a result of flooding and mudslides caused by the storm.[1]

Contents

[edit] Storm history

Storm path
Storm path

Tropical Depression Eleven formed from a tropical wave 70 miles (110 km) east-southeast of Guadeloupe in the evening of September 13[2], and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Jeanne the next day[3]. Jeanne passed south of the U.S. Virgin Islands on September 15[4] and made landfall near Yabucoa, Puerto Rico later the same day[5]. After crossing Puerto Rico it reached hurricane strength on September 16 near the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola[6], but fell back to tropical storm strength later that day as it moved inland across the Dominican Republic[7]. Jeanne continued to move slowly over the Dominican Republic on September 17 before finally leaving the island late that afternoon[8]. By that time, Jeanne had declined one more level, to tropical depression strength[9]. Even though it did not strike Haiti directly, the storm was large enough to cause flooding and mudslides, particularly in the northwestern part of the country.[10]

Hurricane Jeanne infrared satellite image, taken at landfall on the Florida coast (September 26, 2004 at 12:15 a.m. EDT).
Hurricane Jeanne infrared satellite image, taken at landfall on the Florida coast (September 26, 2004 at 12:15 a.m. EDT).

On September 18, while the system was being tracked near Great Inagua and Haiti, a new center formed well to the north-east and the previous circulation dissipated[11]. The new center strengthened again, becoming a hurricane on September 20[12]. Jeanne continued to meander for several days (making a complete loop in the process) before beginning a steady westward motion toward the Bahamas and Florida.[13]

Jeanne continued strengthening as it headed west, passing over Great Abaco in the Bahamas on the morning of September 25[14]. Shortly thereafter, it reached Category 3 strength[15]. It maintained this intensity as it passed Grand Bahama during the remainder of the day. At 11:50 p.m. EDT September 25 (0350 UTC September 26), Jeanne made landfall on Hutchinson Island, just east of Sewall's Point, Florida, Stuart, Florida and Port Saint Lucie, Florida, at Category 3 strength[16]. This is the same place Hurricane Frances struck Florida three weeks earlier[17].

Jeanne was the first major (Category 3 or higher) storm to make landfall on the east coast north of Palm Beach, Florida and south of the mouth of the Savannah River since 1899.[18]

Jeanne's track continued to follow within 20 miles of that of Frances until it reached Pasco County[19]. It then swung more rapidly to the north, and the center remained over land all the way to the Georgia state line, unlike Frances which exited into the Gulf of Mexico. It became extratropical over Virginia on September 28 and the remnant returned to sea off the New Jersey coast the next day. The last advisory was issued when it was 200 miles (320 km) east of New York City and heading east-northeast over the Atlantic.[20]

[edit] Preparations

[edit] Puerto Rico

Preparations in Puerto Rico were generally light;few people used window shutters or went to shelters to ride out the storm[21].The entire power grid of Puerto Rico was shut down by the government as the storm approached to prevent electrocutions and infrastructure damage..[22]

[edit] Dominican Republic and Haiti

Being some of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere,no organized preparations took place[23].

[edit] Florida

Preparations in Central Florida were rushed and sudden,as it did not become apparent that the storm would make a direct hit until the morning of the 23rd[24]. Indeed, it had appeared the storm would pass safely offshore just the night before[25]. Voluntary evacuations were advised on Thursday, plans for opening shelters on Saturday were distributed to the public,and Florida Power and Light warned that power could be out "for an extended period of time"[26]. Canals were also drained on the same day[27].

On Friday, the Palm Beach Zoo prepared for the storm by moving small animals and birds into buildings such as restrooms and restaurants[28]. Evacuations began in earnest, with many residents leaving for the Keys,noting that the islands were the only location definitely out of harm's way[29]. For once, evacuation to Keys makes sense to some.

[edit] Impact

Hurricane Jeanne making landfall on the east coast of Hispaniola, Sept. 16.
Hurricane Jeanne making landfall on the east coast of Hispaniola, Sept. 16.
Deaths from Hurricane Jeanne
Country Total State County County
total
Direct
deaths
Dominican Republic 18 18
Haiti 3,006+ 3,006+
Puerto Rico 7 7
USA 5 Florida Brevard 1 1
Clay 1 1
Indian River 1 1
South Carolina Fairfield 1 1
Virginia Patrick 1 1
Totals 3,036+ 3,036+
Because of differing sources, totals may not match.

[edit] Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico was impacted by tropical storm force winds and heavy rain,with flooding on a historic scale[30].The storm made landfall near Maunabo on the 15th at midday[31].It initially moved west over the island,but then made a turn back to the NNW,three hours later,it turned west again,exiting on the Northwest coast near the town of Mayaguez around 11PM the same day[32].It passed directly over the towns of Arroyo, Patillas, Guayama and Salinas on it's trip over the Commonwealth.[33]San Juan reported a wind gust to 73mph[34],Carolina reported gusts to 71mph[35],and rainfall ranged from 5.98 inches in the city to over two feet in Vieques[36].This resulted in damage to roads,landslides,and collapsed bridges[37].This resulted in one death and the evacuation of 400 people near the Rio Grande de Anasco[38]. A total of seven people were reported dead in Puerto Rico as a result of Jeanne.


[edit] Haiti And The Dominican Republic

Flooding in Haiti
Flooding in Haiti

By September 17, heavy rains totaling about 13 inches (330 mm) 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 October 6, 2004 the official report counted 3,006 people dead, with 2,826 of those in Gonaïves alone.[39] Another 2,601 people were injured.


Flooding in Haiti
Flooding in Haiti

In the Dominican Republic, the storm dumped torrential flooding rains and killing over two dozen.[40] Damage totaled $270 million (2004 USD).[41]

[edit] United States

Millions in Florida were left without electricity, some for the third time in a month. There were only five direct deaths in the mainland United States, three in Florida, one in

Storm total Rainfall from Jeanne
Storm total Rainfall from Jeanne

South Carolina and one in Virginia. The final US damage was determined to be around $6,900,000,000, making it the 13th costliest hurricane in United States history. It was difficult to isolate this from damage caused by Hurricane Frances (and, around Polk County, and Highlands County, and from Hurricane Charley as well). While Jeanne was highly destructive, it was less so than either Frances or Charley, partly because much of the damage possible had already been done by those storms.

As the storm moved northward east of the Appalachian Mountains, it continued producing heavy rains and flash flooding. Rainfall exceeded 6.00 inches (150 mm) as far north as Trenton, New Jersey, resulting in severe flash flooding in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and its Pennsylvania and New Jersey suburbs on September 28. Tornadoes also touched down in Wilmington, Delaware and Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Damaged signs in Orlando, Florida caused by Jeanne.
Damaged signs in Orlando, Florida caused by Jeanne.

[edit] Retirement

See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane names

The name Jeanne was retired in the spring of 2005 by the World Meteorological Organization and will never be used for an Atlantic hurricane again. It was replaced with Julia for the 2010 season.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ NHC Tropical Cyclone Report
  2. ^ Tropical Depression ELEVEN
  3. ^ Tropical Storm JEANNE
  4. ^ Tropical Storm JEANNE
  5. ^ Tropical Storm JEANNE
  6. ^ Tropical Storm JEANNE
  7. ^ Hurricane JEANNE
  8. ^ Hurricane JEANNE
  9. ^ Hurricane JEANNE
  10. ^ NHC Tropical Cyclone Report
  11. ^ Hurricane JEANNE
  12. ^ Hurricane JEANNE
  13. ^ NHC Tropical Cyclone Report
  14. ^ Hurricane JEANNE
  15. ^ Hurricane JEANNE
  16. ^ Hurricane JEANNE
  17. ^ NHC Tropical Cyclone Report
  18. ^ CNN.com - Floods, floating coffins left in Jeanne's wake - Sep 28, 2004
  19. ^ 2004 Tropical Cyclone Advisory Archive
  20. ^ 2004 Tropical Cyclone Advisory Archive
  21. ^ Puerto Rico - Local Reports (Caribbean Hurricane Network)
  22. ^ National Climatic Data Center. September 2004 Storm Data. Retrieved on 2007-02-15.
  23. ^ http://www.rightsaction.org/YourFundsAtWork/Haiti.Emergency.Funds.htm
  24. ^ http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/palmbeachpost/pdf/jeanne/pbp_fri.pdf
  25. ^ Hurricane JEANNE
  26. ^ Region starts getting ready
  27. ^ Region starts getting ready
  28. ^ Zoo animals moved to emergency quarters
  29. ^ [1]
  30. ^ Hurricane History
  31. ^ Tropical Storm Jeanne
  32. ^ Tropical Storm Jeanne
  33. ^ Tropical Storm Jeanne
  34. ^ NHC Tropical Cyclone Report
  35. ^ Tropical Storm Jeanne
  36. ^ Tropical Storm Jeanne: Hydrologic Summary for Puerto Rico and the U
  37. ^ Tropical Storm Jeanne: Hydrologic Summary for Puerto Rico and the U
  38. ^ Tropical Storm Jeanne: Hydrologic Summary for Puerto Rico and the U
  39. ^ USAID. Hurricane relief. Retrieved on 2007-02-16.
  40. ^ Hurricane Jeanne Hammers Haiti and Florida
  41. ^ World Meteorological Organization. Twenty-Seventh Session RA IV Hurricane Committee. Retrieved on 2007-02-15.

[edit] External links

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Tropical cyclones of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season
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Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
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