The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm, now a strong Category 3 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity, could strengthen further over warm water between the Bahamas and the southeastern United States.
State officials said computer models showed 4.7 million of the state's 17 million people were in harm's way, and estimated that 1.2 million buildings could be damaged, leaving around 142,000 families without homes.
Florida Power and Light Co. said 12,000 of its customers were without electricity. The utility appealed nationwide for more linemen and tree-cutters to supplement the crews still repairing damage from the last hurricanes.
"Our resources are clearly stretched," FPL President Armando Olivera said. "In all candor we must tell our customers that they must be prepared for extended outages, perhaps three weeks or more."
When Jeanne comes ashore, it will mark the first time since records began in 1851 that Florida has been walloped by four hurricanes in a single season. The season lasts from June to the end of November.
In the Bahamas, residents of Grand Bahama and Great Abaco islands, both still recovering from the ravages of Frances, packed into shelters.
On Great Abaco, Jeanne felled trees and power lines, destroyed one house and tore the roofs off several others. Rising water submerged roads and flooded two shantytowns full of Haitian immigrants, many of them illegal aliens who resisted moving to government shelters.
Torrential rains lashed Grand Bahama Island. The center of the storm was expected to pass north of Freeport, where most of the island's 50,000 residents live.
"The warm waters of the Bahamas are fueling the storm," meteorologist Basil Dean said. "Grand Bahama will be under the gun for several hours."
In Florida, Hurricane Charley kicked off the season of misery when it slammed ashore on the southwest Gulf Coast on Aug. 13. It killed 33 people and caused $7.4 billion in insured damages.
Frances hit the Atlantic coast on Sept. 5, killing 30 and causing $4.4 billion in damages.
Ivan ripped into the Gulf Coast between Florida and Alabama with 130 mph winds on Sept. 16, killing at least 45 people across the United States and causing up to $6 billion in damages.
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