Tropical Storm Ana (2003)
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Tropical Storm Ana was the first
named storm Tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones are named by various warning centers to simplify communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches and warnings. The names are intended to reduce confusion in the ...
of the
2003 Atlantic hurricane season The 2003 Atlantic hurricane season was a highly active Atlantic hurricane season with tropical activity before and after the official bounds of the season—the first such occurrence since the 1970 season. The season produced 21 tropical cycl ...
. A pre-season storm, it developed initially as a subtropical cyclone from a non-tropical
low Low or LOW or lows, may refer to: People * Low (surname), listing people surnamed Low Places * Low, Quebec, Canada * Low, Utah, United States * Lo Wu station (MTR code LOW), Hong Kong; a rail station * Salzburg Airport (ICAO airport code: LO ...
on April 20 to the west of
Bermuda ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , ...
. It tracked east-southeastward and organized, and on April 21 it transitioned into a tropical cyclone with peak winds of . Tropical Storm Ana turned east-northeastward, steadily weakening due to wind shear and an approaching
cold front A cold front is the leading edge of a cooler mass of air at ground level that replaces a warmer mass of air and lies within a pronounced surface trough of low pressure. It often forms behind an extratropical cyclone (to the west in the Northern ...
, and on April 24 it became an extratropical cyclone. The storm brushed Bermuda with light rain, and its remnants produced precipitation in the
Azores ) , motto= ( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem=( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. Swells generated by the storm capsized a boat along the
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...
coastline, causing two fatalities.


Meteorological history

Ana was the earliest subtropical or
tropical storm A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depen ...
to form in an Atlantic hurricane season since 1978. It developed from a non-tropical
low pressure area In meteorology, a low-pressure area, low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclement weather (such as cloudy, windy, with possible ...
that formed about south-southwest of
Bermuda ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , ...
on April 18 through the interaction of an upper-level trough and a surface frontal trough. The trough, which extended from the gale center to
Hispaniola Hispaniola (, also ; es, La Española; Latin and french: Hispaniola; ht, Ispayola; tnq, Ayiti or Quisqueya) is an island in the Caribbean that is part of the Greater Antilles. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and t ...
, brought a plume of moisture northward from the
Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...
into the circulation, which caused heavy rainfall in
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
. The non-tropical low tracked generally northward, with a
ridge A ridge or a mountain ridge is a geographical feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for an extended distance. The sides of the ridge slope away from the narrow top on either side. The line ...
to its east and west, and on April 19 the system began producing sporadic convection near its center; early that day, satellite imagery indicated the presence of a tight inner core of winds. After turning to the northwest, it looped southeastward and gradually became separated from the surface frontal system, due to the deepening of the upper-level trough over the system. Convection became better organized over the center, and it is estimated the system developed into Subtropical Storm Ana early on April 20 while located about west of Bermuda. Operationally, the subtropical cyclone was not classified by the
National Hurricane Center The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the division of the United States' NOAA/ National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical weather systems between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 3 ...
until 21 hours later. The subtropical storm tracked east-southeastward and continued to organize, and by late on April 20 an upper-level warm core was present over the system. Based on its organization, Ana is estimated to have become a tropical storm by 0000  UTC on April 21. Upon becoming a tropical storm, Ana attained a peak intensity of , which was based on estimates from the Hebert-Poteat technique and data from QuikSCAT. Shortly thereafter, it made its closest point of approach to Bermuda, when it passed about southwest of the island. Operationally, the cyclone was first classified by the National Hurricane Center around this time, when it was considered a subtropical cyclone. Strong upper-level
wind shear Wind shear (or windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizon ...
removed much of the convection, though a small area of thunderstorms persisted near the center. The storm became completely separated from the upper-level system, and the cyclone re-organized, developing an eye feature late on April 21. Embedded within the flow of a cyclone to its north, Ana continued eastward, and early on April 22 the wind shear again removed the convection from the center. Convection waxed and waned throughout the day, and by April 23 the circulation had deteriorated in organization. After turning to the northeast, the circulation center merged with an approaching
cold front A cold front is the leading edge of a cooler mass of air at ground level that replaces a warmer mass of air and lies within a pronounced surface trough of low pressure. It often forms behind an extratropical cyclone (to the west in the Northern ...
on April 24, and Tropical Storm Ana completed the transition into an extratropical cyclone. The extratropical storm accelerated east-northeastward before losing its identity within the frontal zone on April 27 southeast of the
Azores ) , motto= ( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem=( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
.


Impact

Prior to the development of Ana, the government of
Bermuda ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , ...
issued a gale warning for the island. Upon its classification by the National Hurricane Center, a tropical storm warning was issued for Bermuda. Meandering near the island for several days while developing, the storm dropped of precipitation in a six-day period at the Bermuda International Airport. Winds on the island did not reach tropical storm force. Swells from the storm impacted the coast of
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...
. The combination of the swells and an outgoing tide caused a boat to capsize in Jupiter Inlet on April 20; two of its occupants drowned, and the other two were rescued. As an extratropical storm, the remnants of Ana dropped of precipitation in the city of Ponta Delgada in the
Azores ) , motto= ( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem=( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
. Moisture from the remnants of Ana also produced beneficial rainfall in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. Two ships recorded tropical storm force winds in association with Ana; the ''Atlantic Forest'' recorded and a pressure of 998  mbar on April 22, and the ''Rosa Delmas'' reported winds of on April 23.


See also

* Other storms of the same name * List of Azores hurricanes *
List of Bermuda hurricanes The British Overseas Territory of Bermuda has a long history of encounters with Atlantic tropical cyclones, many of which inflicted significant damage and influenced the territory's development. A small archipelago comprising about 138 island ...
* List of off-season Atlantic hurricanes


References


External links

* {{Good article Ana Ana (2003) Ana (2003) Ana (2003) Ana (2003) Ana (2003) Ana (2003) Ana