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Tropical Storm Ana (2003)

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Storms

   CAPTION: Tropical Storm Ana

   Tropical storm ( SSHS)
   Subtropical Storm Ana on April 20, shortly before becoming tropical
   Subtropical Storm Ana on April 20, shortly before becoming tropical
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   Formed April 20, 2003
   Dissipated April 24, 2003
   Highest
   winds
   60 mph (95 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
   Lowest pressure 994 mbar ( hPa)
   Damage None reported
   Fatalities 2 direct
   Areas
   affected Bermuda
   Part of the
   2003 Atlantic hurricane season

   Tropical Storm Ana was the first tropical cyclone of the 2003 Atlantic
   hurricane season, and the only tropical storm on record to exist in the
   month of April in the Atlantic basin. The storm formed off the coast of
   Florida and passed south of Bermuda before becoming extratropical. Ana
   killed two people when ocean swells capsized a boat on the Florida
   coastline.

Storm history

   Storm path
   Enlarge
   Storm path

   Like most other tropical storms that develop between December and
   April, Ana developed from a previously non-tropical low. A weak low on
   a surface frontal trough developed 305 miles southeast of Miami,
   Florida on April 16. It drifted eastward and organized into a
   non-tropical low pressure system on the 18th when an upper-level trough
   interacted with the front. Under weak steering currents outside of the
   westerlies, the extratropical low moved northward, where it developed
   gale force winds on the 19th. The system developed more organized
   convection, and after the low turned southward late on the 19th, its
   inner core became more pronounced. Earlier in its life, it was still
   attached to the front, but when it became detached from the front on
   April 20, it developed into Subtropical Storm Ana, only the second
   subtropical storm on record to form in April.

   Subtropical Storm Ana drifted east-southeastward, and briefly
   threatened Bermuda late on April 20, leading to the issuance of
   tropical storm warnings that were later dropped. Because of a
   significant upper-level trough over the storm, the storm was
   subtropical. However, a developing warm core led to the classification
   of Tropical Storm Ana early on April 21, the only April storm on
   record. Though convection decreased throughout the day, by the night,
   Ana had become much better organized. Convection covered the centre,
   and an eye-like feature was observed on satellite imagery. Based on
   this, and a QuikSCAT satellite estimate of 65 mph winds, Ana reached
   its peak of 60 mph with a minimum central pressure of 994 mbar ( hPa)
   on the evening of April 21.

   A ship located 55 miles south of the centre on the night of April 22
   directly confirmed the tropical characteristics of Ana. Convection
   associated with the storm diminished as Ana moved over cooler waters,
   and upper level wind shear increased over the system. Ana continued to
   weaken, and became extratropical on April 24 about 885 miles east of
   Bermuda. As an extratropical storm, Ana continued to the
   east-northeast. On April 27, what was left of Ana was absorbed by a
   frontal trough.

Rare formation

   When Ana became tropical on April 20, it became the only Atlantic April
   tropical storm on record (there was a subtropical storm in April of the
   1992 season, but Ana was the only April tropical storm in recorded
   history).

Impact

   Tropical Storm Ana produced moderate swells along the coast of Florida.
   The combination of the swells and an outgoing tide caused a boat to
   capsize in Jupiter Inlet on April 20. Two of the boat's occupants
   drowned, while two others were rescued.

   On Bermuda, the storm caused sporadic rainfall and gusty winds, though
   there were no reports of gale force winds.

   The name Ana was not retired by the World Meteorological Organization
   and will be used again for the 2009 season.

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