Atlantic

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday September 28, 2004

The Year of Hurricanes

Jeanne likely will be remembered as Frances’ evil twin sister.

In an eerie tropical two-step, both hurricanes hit almost the exact same spot on the Treasure Coast, with their cores making landfall less than five miles apart – Frances hit Sewall’s Point while Jeanne hit the southern end of Hutchinson Island, just east of Stuart.

For two hurricanes to strike that close in a decade is remarkable, let alone in less than three weeks, hurricane experts say. Frances arrived on Sept. 5 and Jeanne 20 days later, on Saturday.

Such coincidences have happened before: In 1928, before hurricanes were given names, two systems struck near the Palm Beach-Martin County line 40 days apart, with the second of those being the infamous storm that killed about 2,500 people around Lake Okeechobee.

In all, Hurricanes Charley, Ivan, Jeanne and Frances teamed up to slam the Florida coast a record four times this year. And there are still more than two months left in the season. (Source: Sun Sentinel)