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Tropical Storm Ana

Tropical storm (SSHWS/NWS)
Ana as a tropical storm on August 12
Formed	August 11, 2009
Dissipated	August 17, 2009
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 40 mph (65 km/h)
Lowest pressure	1004 mbar (hPa); 29.65 inHg
Fatalities	None reported
Damage	Minimal
Areas affected	Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba and The Bahamas
Part of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Ana was the first named storm of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season and the first tropical cyclone to impact the Caribbean islands during 2009. Forming out of an area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave on August 11, Ana briefly attained tropical storm intensity on August 12 before weakening back to a depression. The following day, the system degenerated into a non-convective remnant low as it tracked westward. On August 14, the depression regenerated roughly 1,075 mi (1,735 km) east of the Leeward Islands. Early on August 15, the storm re-attained tropical storm status, at which time it was named Ana. After reaching a peak intensity with winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 1004 mbar (hPa; 29.65 inHg), the storm began to weaken again due to increasing wind shear and the unusually fast movement of Ana. On August 16, the storm once more weakened to a tropical depression before dissipating near Puerto Rico on August 17.

Numerous tropical storm watches were issued for the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic between August 15 and 17. Several islands took minor precautions for the storm, including St. Croix which evacuated 40 residents from flood-prone areas ahead of the storm. In the Dominican Republic, officials took preparations by setting up relief agencies and setting up shelters. Impact from Ana was minimal, mainly consisting of light to moderate rainfall. In Puerto Rico, up to 4 in (100 mm), causing street flooding and forcing the evacuation of three schools.

Meteorological history

On August 9, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring a tropical wave associated with a small area of convective activity between the Cape Verde Islands and the western coast of Africa. The system eventually spawned an area of low pressure as it tracked towards the west. After slowly organizing for a few days, the NHC declared that the system had developed into a tropical depression, the second of the season, early on August 11 while located roughly 280 mi (455 km) west of the Cape Verde Islands. The depression developed deep convection around the center of circulation and continued to track generally toward the west in response to a mid-level subtropical ridge to the north. Gradual intensification of the depression was anticipated as it tracked over marginally warm sea surface temperatures and into an area of low wind shear; however, dry air would limit the strengthening.

By August 12, the NHC reported that Tropical Depression Two was near tropical storm intensity after a burst of deep convection over the center. At this point, the system was not upgraded to a tropical storm; however, in a post-storm analysis, it was determined that the system had attained tropical storm-force winds, peaking at 40 mph (65 km/h) for 12 hours on August 12. Several hours later, the system became disorganized due to increased wind shear. During the afternoon, the storm neared tropical storm status again; however, convection quickly diminished and the system became devoid of shower and thunderstorm activity. By the afternoon of August 13, the depression degenerated into a non-convective remnant low pressure area as it failed to maintain convection around the center for 24 hours. At this time, the NHC issued their final advisory on the system but noted that there was the possibility of regeneration.

On August 14, roughly 24 hours after degenerating into a remnant low, convection began to redevelop over the system. Later that day, a Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance plane deployed dropsondes into the system. They found that the system was regenerating and shortly after, the NHC began re-issuing advisories on the depression when it was located roughly 1,075 mi (1,735 km) east of the Leeward Islands. The depression continued to track westward in response to an upper-level high over the north Atlantic. Early on August 15, the NHC upgraded the depression to a tropical storm, giving it the name Ana as deep convection developed around the center of circulation. Later that day, wind shear caused convection to become displaced from the circulation, exposing the center of Ana again.

By August 16, the forward motion of Ana began to increase, and the storm quickly entered a region of dry, stable air. By the afternoon, a Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance mission did not find any evidence of tropical storm-force winds, resulting in Ana being downgraded to a tropical depression. Several hours later, the system redeveloped convection as it raced towards the west-northwest at 26 mph (42 km/h); however, the structure of the storm was more representative of a tropical wave. Early on August 17, Radar imagery from Guadeloupe and San Juan, Puerto Rico depicted a system without a closed, low-level circulation. Despite this, the NHC continued to issue advisories until confirmation could be made with visible satellite imagery. Later that day, a final reconnaissance plane flew into the storm and did not find a low-level circulation. Following this, the NHC stated that Ana had dissipated off the coast of Puerto Rico. The remnants of Ana were once more monitored for signs of regeneration but interaction with Hispanola and Cuba would limit the system's chances.

Preparations and impact

On the afternoon of August 15, the Government of the Netherland Antilles issued a tropical storm watch for St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. Later that day, the watch area was expanded to include the islands of Antigua, Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and the United States Virgin Islands. Early on August 17, the watch was further extended to include Puerto Rico. Later that day, Dominica was also placed under the tropical storm watch. Shortly after, the islands of Guadeloupe, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy were placed under the watch. By the afternoon, areas in the eastern Dominican Republic between Cabo Engaño and Cabo Beata were placed under the watch. Shortly after Ana weakened to a depression, the tropical storm watch for Dominica was discontinued. Early on August 17, the watch was also discontinued for Antigua and Barbuda. By the late morning hours, only Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Virgin Islands remained under tropical storm watches as Ana entered the eastern Caribbean Sea. During the early afternoon, the watch for the Dominican Republic was extended for the northern portion of the country to the Haitian border. Several hours later, all of the watches were discontinued as the circulation of Ana dissipated.

In San Maarten, Cruise agencies redirected ships to avoid the storm and vessels docked at port were secured. Several ships were moved to Simpson Bay Lagoon where waves are generally small. In St. Kitts, officials evacuated 40 families in flood-prone areas to shelters ahead of the storm. On August 17, the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico issued an Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory for all of the eastern municipalities on the island. A green alert was also issued for most of the island. Flight schedules were also shifted in order to avoid the depression, mainly by delaying the flights by several hours. In the Dominican Republic, officials posted flood alerts for 12 provinces as the remnants of Ana were forecast to produce up to 6 in (150 mm) of rain in the country. General Luna Paulino of the civil army, activated relief agencies ahead of the storm and notified residents of possible mandatory evacuations. Officials inspected the dams threatened by the storm to protect several towns and villages. Emergency officials stated that roughly 35,000 personnel were on standby in case of a disaster. Shelters were also prepped throughout the country; however, these were not opened and the residents who had voluntarily evacuated had returned home by the afternoon of August 17. In nearby Haiti, officials placed the country under yellow alert as the remnants of Ana could produce heavy rainfall over mountainous areas.

In St. Thomas, sustained winds reached 28 mph (45 km/h) and gusts peaked at 40 mph (65 km/h). In Puerto Rico, heavy rains from Ana triggered minor flooded but resulted in little or no damage. Rainfall was limited due to the unusually fast forward motion of the storm. In Loiza, at least 1.74 in (44 mm) of rain had fallen by the afternoon of August 17. A maximum of 4 in (100 mm) of rain fell on the island. The rains caused the Río Fajardo to rise, resulting in the issuance of an alert as officials warned it could overflow its banks. Several streets were temporarily shut down due to flooding, including one tunnel, and three schools had to be evacuated. Throughout the island, roughly 6,000 people were left without power as numerous branches were snapped off trees and knocked down power lines. There were also reports of waterspouts and tornadoes associated with Ana in Puerto Rico. The remnants of Ana produced widespread rainfall across Hispanola; however, there were no reports of damage from the system.

See also

Template:Tcportal

• 2009 Atlantic hurricane season

References

1. Jack Beven (August 9, 2009). "Tropical Weather Outlook". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
2. Robbie Berg and Richard Pasch (August 9, 2009). "Tropical Weather Outlook". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
3. Richard Pasch (August 11, 2009). "Tropical Depression Two Special Advisory One". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
4. Richard Pasch (August 11, 2009). "Tropical Depression Two Special Discussion One". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
5. Robbie Berg (August 11, 2009). "Tropical Depression Two Discussion Two". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
6. Todd Kimberlain, Eric Brown and Ariel Cohen (August 12, 2009). "Tropical Depression Two Discussion Four". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
7. National Hurricane Center (August 17, 2009). "Best Track for Tropical Storm 02L (Ana)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
8. Jack Beven (August 12, 2009). "Tropical Depression Two Discussion Six". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
9. Robbie Berg (August 12, 2009). "Tropical Depression Two Discussion Eight". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
10. Jack Beven (August 13, 2009). "Tropical Depression Two Advisory Eleven". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
11. Jack Beven (August 14, 2009). "Tropical Weather Outlook". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
12. Lixion A. Avila (August 14, 2009). "Tropical Weather Outlook". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
13. Eric Blake and Michael Brennan (August 14, 2009). "Tropical Depression Two Special Advisory Twelve". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
14. Eric Blake and Michael Brennan (August 14, 2009). "Tropical Depression Two Special Discussion Twelve". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
15. Eric Blake (August 15, 2009). "Tropical Storm Ana Discussion Thirteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
16. Lixion A. Avila (August 15, 2009). "Tropical Storm Ana Discussion Sixteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
17. Michael Brennan and David Roberts (August 16, 2009). "Tropical Storm Ana Discussion Eighteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
18. Michael Brennan and David Roberts (August 16, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana Discussion Nineteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
19. Robbie Berg (August 16, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana Discussion Twenty". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
20. Robbie Berg (August 17, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana Discussion Twenty-One". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
21. John Cangialosi and James Franklin (August 17, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana Discussion Twenty-Three (Final)". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
22. Jack Beven (August 15, 2009). "Tropical Storm Ana Public Advisory Fifteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
23. Lixion Avila (August 15, 2009). "Tropical Storm Ana Public Advisory Sixteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
24. James Franklin (August 16, 2009). "Tropical Storm Ana Public Advisory Seventeen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
25. Michael Brennan and David Roberts (August 16, 2009). "Tropical Storm Ana Public Advisory Eighteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
26. Michael Brennan (August 16, 2009). "Tropical Storm Ana Tropical Cyclone Update". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
27. Michael Brennan and David Roberts (August 16, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana Public Advisory Nineteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
28. Eric Blake and Richard Pasch (August 16, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana Public Advisory Nineteen-A". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
29. Robbie Berg (August 17, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana Public Advisory Twenty-One". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
30. James Franklin and John Cangialosi (August 17, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana Public Advisory Twenty-Two". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
31. James Franklin and John Cangialosi (August 17, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana Public Advisory Twenty-Two-A". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
32. James Franklin and John Cangialosi (August 17, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana Public Advisory Twenty-Three (Final)". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
33. Staff Writer (August 17, 2009). "Port prepared for bad weather". The Daily Herald. Retrieved August 17, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
34. Template:Es icon Staff Writer (August 18, 2009). "República Dominicana respira ante degradación de "Ana" en onda tropical". Cope. Retrieved August 19, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
35. National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico (August 17, 2009). "Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory". Weather Underground. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
36. Template:Es icon Héctor Fernández y Tomás Vidal Rodríguez (August 17, 2009). "Emiten la alerta verde por la tormenta "Ana"". El Caribe. Retrieved August 19, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
37. Sara K. Clarke and WIlloughby Mariano (August 16, 2009). "AirTran changes flight schedules ahead of T. D. Ana. other delays possible". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved August 16, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
38. Associated Press (August 18, 2009). "Depression Ana causes concern; Hurricane Bill gains strength..." KXMC. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
39. Template:Es icon Staff Writer (August 17, 2009). "Activan organismos por depresión tropical Ana". Dominicanos Hoy. Retrieved August 19, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
40. Template:Es icon Noticas (August 17, 2009). "República Dominicana prepara los albergues ante el paso de la depresión tropical "Ana"". Yahoo!. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
41. Template:Es icon United Press International (August 18, 2009). "Onda tropical Ana se encuentra ahora sobre Haití". Tiempoos Del Mundo. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
42. ^ Template:Es icon Gerardo E. (August 18, 2009). "Ana se deja sentir en la Isla". El Nuevo Dia. Retrieved August 18, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
43. Associated Press (August 17, 2009). "Tropical Depression Ana soaks Puerto Rico". Taiwan News. Retrieved August 17, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
44. Local Resident of Loiza, Puerto Rico (August 17, 2009). "Daily Summary for August 17, 2009: Loiza, Puerto Rico". Weather Underground. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
45. ^ Staff Writer (August 17, 2009). "Depresión tropical Ana se deja sentir en la Isla". Notiuno. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
46. Template:Es icon Associated Press (August 18, 2009). "Huracán Bill alcanza categoría 3; Ana se disipa". El Universal. Retrieved August 18, 2009.

External links

• The National Hurricane Center's Advisory Archive for Tropical Storm Ana

v t e Tropical cyclones of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season
Timeline
	TDOne TSAna 4Bill TSClaudette TSDanny TSErika 3Fred TDEight TSGrace TSHenri 2Ida
Category

• 2009 Atlantic hurricane season
• Hurricanes in Puerto Rico
• Hurricanes in the Leeward Islands
• Hurricanes in the Dominican Republic