Tropical Storm Ana (2003)
| Tropical storm (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Tropical Storm Ana near peak intensity on April 21
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| Formed | April 20, 2003 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | April 27, 2003 |
| (Extratropical after April 24) | |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 60 mph (95 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 994 mbar (hPa); 29.35 inHg |
| Fatalities | 2 direct |
| Damage | None |
| Areas affected | Florida, Bermuda, Azores, British Isles |
| Part of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Tropical Storm Ana was the first of two named tropical cyclones, along with Tropical Storm Arlene in 2017, on record in the North Atlantic basin to exist in the month of April. The first tropical cyclone of the 2003 season, it developed as a subtropical cyclone from a non-tropical low on April 20 to the west of Bermuda. It tracked east-southeastward and organized, and on April 21 it transitioned into a tropical cyclone with peak winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). Tropical Storm Ana turned east-northeastward, steadily weakening due to wind shear and an approaching cold front, and on April 24 it became an extratropical cyclone. The storm brushed Bermuda with light rain, and the remnants produced precipitation in the Azores and the United Kingdom. Swells generated by the storm capsized a boat along the Florida coastline, causing two fatalities.
A non-tropical low pressure area developed about 240 miles (390 km) south-southwest of Bermuda on April 18 through the interaction of an upper-level trough and a surface frontal trough. The surface trough, which extended from the gale center to Hispaniola, brought a plume of moisture northward from the Caribbean Sea into the circulation, which caused heavy rainfall in Puerto Rico. The non-tropical low tracked generally northward, with a ridge 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 250 miles (400 km) west of Bermuda. Operationally, the subtropical cyclone was not classified by the National Hurricane Center until 21 hours later.
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