Tropical Storm Alpha (2005)
Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | October 22, 2005 |
Dissipated | October 24, 2005 |
Tropical storm | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 50 mph (85 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 998 mbar (hPa); 29.47 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 26 total |
Damage | Unknown |
Areas affected | Hispaniola |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season |
Tropical Storm Alpha was the 23rd
During its brief life, Alpha moved west-northwestward and reached its peak intensity on October 23, but weakened as it neared
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.
When Alpha came within the
Late on October 23, Alpha made landfall in Hispaniola, quickly decreasing in intensity as it did so.[8] After making landfall, the storm weakened, leaving it just between tropical storm and tropical depression status.[8] 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.[8] However, satellite imagery suggested that a new center had developed over open waters to the north of Hispaniola.[8] It was downgraded to a tropical depression early the next day, now re-emerging over open waters.[9] The storm soon developed an elongated center of circulation which indicated that the system was weakening.[10] 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.[11] Shortly thereafter, the remnant low was absorbed into the circulation of Hurricane Wilma on October 25.[1]
Preparations
On October 22, the National Hurricane Center issued a
Impact
Country | Total deaths |
---|---|
Dominican Republic | 9 |
Haiti | 17 |
Totals | 26 |
Source: The NHC's Tropical Cyclone Report |
Although the storm's circulation technically made landfall near
Damages in Haiti were mostly confined to the Ouest, Sud-Est, and Grand'Anse departments.[15] In Haiti, 17 people died.[1][16] 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.[17] The rest of the deaths were the results of landslides and flooding in various areas in the country.[17] Across the country, 243 houses were destroyed, and 191 more were damaged.[18]
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 rivers burst their banks in
The Haitian government did not request international assistance, although 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.
Naming and records
As all of the 21 pre-designated
At the time, it was thought that Alpha was the 22nd storm of the season, and so was the storm which broke the record for most storms in a single Atlantic hurricane season set in 1933.[21] However post-season analysis revealed that there was also a previously unnoticed subtropical storm on October 4,[22] which made Alpha the 23rd storm of the season.
Alpha's record-setting formation date as the season's 23rd tropical or subtropical storm would stand until 2020. It was broken by Tropical Storm Beta, which formed on September 18.[20]
See also
- Lists of Atlantic hurricanes
- Other storms named Alpha
- Timeline of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Avila, Lixion (2006-01-04). "Tropical Storm Alpha Tropical Cyclone Report" (PDF). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ Roberts/Knabb (2005-10-22). "Tropical Depression 25 Public Advisory #1". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ Roberts/Knabb (2005-10-22). "Tropical Depression 25 Discussion #1". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ Mainelli/Knabb (2005-10-22). "Tropical Storm Alpha Public Advisory #2". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ a b c Franklin (2005-10-22). "Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion #3". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ Franklin (2005-10-23). "Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion #4". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ Avila (2005-10-23). "Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion #5". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ a b c d Avila (2005-10-23). "Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion #6". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ Rhome/Stewart (2005-10-23). "Tropical Depression Alpha Discussion #7". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ Stewart (2005-10-24). "Tropical Storm Alpha Discussion #8". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ Beven (2005-10-24). "Tropical Depression Alpha Discussion #9". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Staff Writer (2005-10-25). "Haiti: Tropical Storm Alpha, Floods OCHA Situation Report No. 1". Relief Web. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
- ^ a b c d e f International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (2005-10-31). "Haiti: Floods Information Bulletin No. 1". Relief Web. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
- ^ ORE (2006-01-01). "Rainfall - ORE Camp-Perrin, Cayes, Haiti" (PDF). Organization for the Rehabilitation of the Environment. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
- ^ OCHA (2005-10-30). "Haiti: Tropical Storm Alpha and Floods" (PDF). Relief Web. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
- ^ a b BBC News (2005-10-27). "Storm Alpha's death toll hits 26". BBC. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ a b CBS news (2005-10-24). "8 killed by tropical storm Alpha". CBS News. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ Radio Kiskeya (2005-10-25). "Tropical Storm Alpha" (in French). Relief web. Retrieved 2008-01-29.[permanent dead link]
- ^ AP (2005-10-24). "Alpha leaves 8 dead in Haiti before weakening". NBC News. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
- ^ a b Borenstein, Seth (September 18, 2020). "Running out of storm names, Atlantic season goes Greek". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Chattanooga, Tennessee. AP. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ "Tropical Storm Alpha hits Dominican Republic, Haiti". The New York Times. Reuters. October 23, 2005. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
- ^ Jack Beven; Eric S. Blake (April 10, 2006). Tropical Cyclone Report: Unnamed Subtropical Storm (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
External links
- The NHC's archive on Tropical Storm Alpha.
- The NHC's Tropical Cyclone Report