Hurricane Jeanne was one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricanes on record, producing damaging floods in Haiti in September 2004 that killed 3,006 people. Jeane also moved through the Bahamas as a major hurricane, roughly three weeks after Hurricane Frances moved through the archipelago. The two hurricanes produced more than US$550 million in damage and economic losses in the Bahamas, equating to about 10% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). On September 26, Jeanne made landfall in southeastern Florida with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour (195 kilometres per hour). It was the last of four hurricanes to impact the state in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season.
The tenth named storm, seventh hurricane, and fifth major hurricane of the season, Jeanne originated near the Lesser Antilles on September 13. During its formative stages, Jeanne dropped 12 inches (300 mm) of precipitation on Guadeloupe, damaging hundreds of buildings from floods. Landslides and flooding affected the Virgin Islands, and around 20 people on St. Thomas required rescue. On September 15, Jeanne struck Puerto Rico a strong tropical storm, leading to seven deaths during storm preparations, the storm itself, or subsequent carbon monoxide poisoning. A day later, Jeanne attained hurricane status while moving ashore the Dominican Republic. In the country, the hurricane killed 23 people and produced floods that displaced more than 37,000 people from their houses. Jeanne weakened while moving over Hispaniola, producing torrential rainfall over Haiti. In Haiti, the floods and landslides destroyed houses and crop fields across the region. Following a coup d'état in February 2004, the interim government of Haiti relied on security assistance from the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), as well as international aid to rebuild. Violence and attacks on nongovernment organizations disrupted later aid distribution.
After emerging back into the Atlantic Ocean, Jeanne executed a large clockwise loop, during which time it strengthened into a major hurricane. While at that intensity, Jeanne struck the Bahamas on September 25, hitting the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Island. In the Bahamas, Jeanne damaged or destroyed around 800 homes. Across Florida, the hurricane damaged or destroyed thousands of homes, most of which were previously damaged by hurricanes Frances and Charley. The collective impacts of the three hurricanes, in addition to Hurricane Ivan which struck Alabama, produced the largest relief operations in the history of both the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Total damage from Jeanne in the continental United States was estimated at $7.5 billion. The hurricane also killed six people in Florida, two each in North and South Carolina, and one in Virginia. Although Jeanne weakened over the southeastern United States, it produced floods and an outbreak of 42 tornadoes. Jeanne transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on September 29 when the system was near Washington, D.C.. After moving offshore, the circulation dissipated when it was absorbed by a cold front. Due to its effects, the name Jeanne was retired and will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane.