Tropical Storm Alpha (2005)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Tropical Storm Alpha
Type=Tropical storm
Year=2005
Basin=Atl
Image location=Tropical_Storm_Alpha_Oct_23_2005.jpg

Barahona in the Dominican Republic
Formed=October 22, 2005
Dissipated=October 24, 2005
1-min winds=45
Pressure=998
Da

Inflated=
Fatalities=26 direct, 17 indirect
Areas=Haiti, Dominican Republic
Hurricane season=2005 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Alpha was the 23rd named storm of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. The twenty-one names from the predetermined A–W list having been used, Alpha was the first tropical storm ever to be given a name from the Greek alphabet. On October 20, Tropical Depression 25 formed from a tropical wave near the Windward Islands. It became a tropical storm on October 23, and reached its peak intensity but weakened again before making landfall in the Dominican Republic that afternoon. Crossing the island of Hispaniola it weakened to a tropical depression, and persisted until October 24, when it dissipated. Its remnant low was absorbed by Hurricane Wilma's large circulation.

Alpha dumped torrential rain on the island of Hispaniola, making it the eighth wettest storm to impact poverty-stricken Haiti. It caused 26 deaths, 17 of them in Haiti and all of them caused by floods and rain-related landslides. Roads were blocked for weeks and hundreds of houses were destroyed.

Meteorological history

Alpha's origins were from a tropical wave that developed near the Windward Islands on October 20.cite web|author=Avila|title=Tropical Storm Alpha Tropical Cyclone Report|date=2006-01-04|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|format=PDF|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL262005_Alpha.pdf] Satellite images indicated that a low pressure center associated with the tropical wave formed near Barbados and moved west-northwest with increasing convective activity. In an area of light wind shear, the convection increased and Doppler weather radar data from Puerto Rico detected a well-defined cyclonic circulation. On October 22, the area of low pressure organized into Tropical Depression 25, southeast of Hispaniola.cite web|author=Roberts/Knabb|title=Tropical Depression 25 Public Advisory #1|date=2005-10-22|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/pub/al252005.public.001.shtml?] Shortly thereafter, satellite imagery indicated that a closed circulation had developed, and the associated convection had started banding.cite web|author=Roberts/Knabb|title=Tropical Depression 25 Discussion #1|date=2005-10-22|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al252005.discus.001.shtml?] Later that same day, the depression had organized enough to be upgraded to Tropical Storm Alpha; this was the first time the National Hurricane Center had to use a Greek name for an Atlantic hurricane.Cite web|author=Mainelli/Knabb|title=Tropical Storm Alpha Public Advisory #2|date=2005-10-22|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/pub/al252005.public.002.shtml?]

When Alpha came within the Doppler weather radar range of Puerto Rico, the radar suggested that an eyewall-like feature had developed.cite web|author=Franklin|title=Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion #3|date=2005-10-22|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al252005.discus.003.shtml?] Alpha was tracking along the southwest edge of a subtropical ridge. With nearby Hurricane Wilma's large circulation, Alpha was experiencing strong southerly flow from Wilma. Alpha, with its small circulation, was then faced with the mountainous terrain of Hispaniola, which led forecasters to believe Alpha was soon to dissipate.cite web|author=Franklin|title=Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion #4|date=2005-10-23|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al252005.discus.004.shtml?] Shortly after Alpha reached its peak intensity on October 23 its wind decreased. While convection remained in bands, the low level circulation was disrupted by land. This left the center ill-defined and difficult to locate.cite web|author=Avila|title=Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion #5|date=2005-10-23|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al252005.discus.005.shtml?]

Late on October 23, Alpha made landfall in Hispaniola, quickly decreasing in intensity as it did so.cite web|author=Avila|title=Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion #6|date=2005-10-23|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al252005.discus.006.shtml?] After making landfall, the storm weakened, leaving it just between tropical storm and tropical depression status. Because of the weakening, and the strong southerly flow from nearby Hurricane Wilma, it was hard to determine whether a low-level circulation was present. However, satellite imagery suggested that a new center had developed over open waters to the north of Hispaniola. It was downgraded to a tropical depression early the next day, now re-emerging over open waters.cite web|author=Rhome/Stewart|title=Tropical Depression Alpha Discussion #7|date=2005-10-23|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al252005.discus.007.shtml?] The storm soon developed an elongated center of circulation which indicated that the system was weakening.cite web|author=Stewart|title=Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion #8|date=2005-10-24|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al252005.discus.008.shtml?] On October 24 the low-level center had completely dissolved, and only a small area of convective activity persisted. Thus the system had dissipated, and was a remnant low pressure system when the National Hurricane Center issued their last advisories of Alpha.cite web|author=Beven|title=Tropical Depression Alpha Discussion #9|date=2005-10-24|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al252005.discus.010.shtml?] Shortly thereafter, the remnant low was absorbed into the circulation of Hurricane Wilma on October 25.

Preparations and impact

On October 22, the National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning for the island of Hispaniola and a tropical storm watch for Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas. The tropical storm watch was quickly upgraded to a tropical storm warning. In the Dominican Republic, authorities ordered the evacuation of at least 30,000 people living in areas where flooding was possible. On October 22 and 23, the Haitian government ordered level 1 and then level 2 alerts for the county in anticipation of Tropical Storm Alpha's rainfall.cite web|author=Staff Writer|publisher=Relief Web|date=2005-10-25|accessdate=2008-08-10|title=Haiti: Tropical Storm Alpha, Floods OCHA Situation Report No. 1|url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/EGUA-6HHNN9?OpenDocument] Haiti was already experiencing flooding from Hurricane Wilma's passage between October 8 and 19, so the threat of more rainfall was particularly dire.cite web|author=International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies|publisher=Relief Web|date=2005-10-31|accessdate=2008-08-10|title=Haiti: Floods Information Bulletin No. 1|url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/RMOI-6HQ78N?OpenDocument&query=Tropical%20Storm%20Alpha&emid=TC-2005-000183-HTI] The country's Centre National de Meteorologie issued weather bulletins through existing media distribution channels with clear instructions on how residences should prepare for floods and landslides. At the time it was the eighth wettest tropical cyclone to impact the island, although it has since been surpassed by Hurricanes Ernesto and Noel in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The local government of the Sud-Est Department ordered the evacuation of its capital city, Jacmel. The national government mobilized personnel and resources of the Direction of Civil Protection, the Secrétariat Permanent de Gestion des Risques et des Désastres (SPGRD), and the National Police to pre-arranged Emergency Operation Centres.

Although the storm's circulation technically made landfall near Barahona in the Dominican Republic, the bulk of its impact occurred in the country's poorer neighbor, Haiti. When Alpha arrived on Hispaniola it brought between 4 inches (101 mm)cite web|author=ORE|publisher=Organization for the Rehabilitation of the Environment|date=2006-01-01|accessdate=2008-08-10|title=Rainfall - ORE Camp-Perrin, Cayes, Haiti|format=PDF|url=http://www.oreworld.org/images/r_mm_eng/2005%20mm_eng.pdf] and 7.9 in (201 mm) of rain which triggered floods and landslides. The road between Port-au-Prince and the Haiti's Sud Department was closed at Grand-Goâve in the Ouest Department. In the coastal city of Léogâne near Port-au-Prince, bridges were closed to cars but not to pedestrians. Surging rivers east of Marigot and west of Jacmel closed roads in that region, and the main road between Jérémie and Les Cayes was also closed. Elsewhere in the country, landslides temporarily blocked several other major roads. Gonâve Island, which had been suffering a brutal drought, was stricken by floods which overwhelmed and washed away pipes of the water draining systemin Nan Baré.

Damages in Haiti were mostly confined to the Ouest, Sud-Est, and Grand'Anse departments.cite web|author=OCHA|publisher=Relief Web|date=2005-10-30|accessdate=2008-08-10|title=Haiti: Tropical Storm Alpha and Floods|format=PDF|url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullMaps_Am.nsf/luFullMap/72CDF77F3C1E13BFC12570AA004E59A6/$File/rw_TC_hti301005.pdf] In Haiti, 17 people died.cite web|author=BBC News|title=Storm Alpha's death toll hits 26|date=2005-10-27|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4381864.stm] Two drowned when a river overflowed in Grande Anse and two more died after being electrocuted during flooding, one in the Port-au-Prince suburb of Carrefour and the other in the southern town of Jacmel. The rest of the deaths were the results of landslides and flooding in various areas in the country.cite web|author=CBS news|title=8 killed by tropical storm Alpha|date=2005-10-24|publisher=|accessdate=2008-01-25|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/24/world/main971787.shtml] Across the country, 243 houses were destroyed, and 191 more were damaged.cite web|author=Radio Kiskeya|title=Tropical Storm Alpha|date=2005-10-25|language=French|publisher=Relief web|accessdate=2008-01-29|url=http://wwwnotes.reliefweb.int/w/RWB.NSF/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/e6cc47da36ecb9a4492570a6000c27ef?OpenDocument]

Nine people were killed in the Dominican Republic: two fishermen went missing at sea during the storm and the others were swept away by flood waters when a rivers burst their banks in Guaricanoscite web|author=AP|publisher=MSNBC|date=2005-10-24|accessdate=2008-08-10|title=Alpha leaves 8 dead in Haiti before weakening|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9785551/] and Puerto Plata. Otherwise, the damage in the Dominican Republic was minimal.

The Haitian government did not request international assistance, although the The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Haitian Red-Cross, which were already working in Haiti, took on some supporting roles. In response to local flooding, the Jacmel Regional branch of the Red Cross distributed an additional 400 water purification tablets, 11 boxes of high-energy biscuits, and 10 boxes of body soap.

Naming and records

Since all the twenty one predetermined hurricane names were exhausted after Hurricane Wilma, the Greek alphabet was used and the storm was designated Alpha once it reached tropical storm status. The name Alpha had been used before in the Atlantic for a subtropical storm, but 2005 was the first season to have a "tropical storm" Alpha.cite web|author=Jeff Hecht|publisher=NewScientist.com news service|date=2005-10-24|accessdate=2008-08-10|title=Wilma hits Florida, Alpha breaks record|url=http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8198]

At the time it was thought that Alpha was the twenty-second storm of the season, and so was the storm which broke the 1933 season's record for most storms in a single season. However post-season analysis revealed that there was also a previously unnoticed subtropical storm on October 4,cite web| author=National Hurricane Center| date=2006-04-10| title=Tropical Cyclone Report: Unnamed Subtropical Storm| publisher=NOAA| accessdate=2006-10-31| format=PDF|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL212005_Unnamed.pdf] which made Alpha the twenty-third storm of the season. Alpha was the first tropical storm to be assigned a Greek-alphabet name after the list of hurricane names was exhausted.

ee also

* List of tropical cyclones
* List of Atlantic hurricanes
* List of 2005 Atlantic hurricane season storms

References

External links

Wikinewshas|related news|
*
*The NHC's [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/refresh/ALPHA+shtml/024021.shtml? archive on Tropical Storm Alpha] .
*The NHC's [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL262005_Alpha.pdf Tropical Cyclone Report]