Tropical Storm Ana, May 8-11, 2015

TROPICAL STORM ANA, MAY 8-11, 2015

Overview:

Tropical Storm Ana was the earliest recorded tropical cyclone to ever make landfall in the United States (Figure 1). Ana originated from the interaction of an old frontal system and the divergence associated with a sharp mid level trough of low pressure. A well-defined center of circulation formed early on May 6, 2015 just offshore of the southeastern coast of Florida. The low moved slowly northward over the next two days and slowly strengthened. By late evening on May 8, the low had acquired sufficient organized deep convection for the system to be designated a subtropical storm when it was located about 150 miles south-southeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. During the next 24 hours, Ana moved slowly north-northwestward over the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream. Deep convection steadily developed closer to the surface center along with upper-level anticyclonic outflow, marking Ana’s transition to a tropical storm by early on May 9, when the cyclone was located about 115 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach (Figure 2). Ana’s intensity remained steady near 55 mph while the cyclone was over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. However, by the afternoon of May 9, the tropical storm began a weakening trend as it moved off of the Gulf Stream. Ana made landfall around 6 AM on May10 just southwest of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with an intensity of 45 mph. The 10 May landfall makes Ana the earliest U.S. landfalling tropical cyclone on record. Shortly after making landfall, Ana slowed and turned northward and weakened to a tropical depression. On May11, Ana turned northeastward and moved across eastern North Carolina, degenerating to a remnant low pressure area before emerging off of the United States mid-Atlantic coast near the Delmarva Peninsula on May 12, 2015.

Figure 1. Track of Tropical Storm Ana, May 7-10, 2015.

Figure 2. Tropical Storm Ana at its peak off the South Carolina coast, May 9, 2015.

Storm Impacts

Ana produced minor storm surge flooding along portions of the coasts of South Carolina and North Carolina. Storm surges between 1.5 and 2.0 feet were measured by the NOS gauges along the North Carolina coast and most values were around 1 foot. Ana generally produced storm-total rainfall of 3 to 6 inches across portions of eastern North Carolina (Figure 3). The highest rainfall reports was 6.89 inches near Kinston (Figure 4). Locally heavy rainfall caused some inland freshwater flooding in Lenoir County, North Carolina near the border with Jones County. The heavy rains caused the waters in Southwest Creek to rise quickly, cutting off 10 homes with water levels of 4 to 5 feet in some places. On May 11, the Southwood Volunteer Fire Department used their boat to rescue some of the stranded residents. No fatalities or injuries resulted from the flooding.

A waterspout formed over the Croatan Sound during the afternoon of May11, moved northeastward and inland over Roanoke Island near Manteo, North Carolina, where it became an EF0 tornado. Some tree damage along with minor damage to one home resulted. No fatalities or injuries were reported in association with the waterspout or tornado. Ana also caused crop damage and forced commercial growers to delay their planting dates. Winds gusted as high as 60 mph along the North Carolina coast. Near Richlands, gusty winds toppled a tree onto a roadway, causing a traffic accident that left one man dead. Another tree in the same area fell through the roof of a mobile home. Damage to electrical wires triggered scattered power outages in eastern North Carolina.

Figure 3. Rainfall amounts of Tropical Storm Ana, May 7-10, 2015 (Courtesy Weather Prediction Center).

Figure 4. Flooding along the Lenoir/Jones County line from Tropical Storm Ana, May 7-10, 2015. (Courtesy WITN TV).

POST TROPICAL CYCLONE...HURRICANE ANA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY - NEWPORT NC
617 AM EDT MON JUN 1 2015


NOTE: THE DATA SHOWN HERE ARE PRELIMINARY....AND SUBJECT TO UPDATES
AND CORRECTIONS AS APPROPRIATE.

THIS REPORT INCLUDES EVENTS OCCURRING WHEN WATCHES AND/OR WARNINGS
WERE IN EFFECT FOR ANA.

COUNTIES INCLUDED...CARTERET...ONSLOW

JUL 11...UPDATED FOR...ADDITIONAL METAR AND STORM SURGE REPORTS.


A. LOWEST SEA LEVEL PRESSURE/MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS AND PEAK GUSTS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
METAR OBSERVATIONS...
NOTE: ANEMOMETER HEIGHT IS 10 METERS AND WIND AVERAGING IS 2 MINUTES
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCATION  ID    MIN    DATE/     MAX      DATE/     PEAK    DATE/
LAT  LON        PRES   TIME      SUST     TIME      GUST    TIME
DEG DECIMAL     (MB)   (UTC)     (KT)     (UTC)     (KT)    (UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
KNCA-NEW RIVER AIR STATION                                          
34.70 -77.44   1014.9 10/2325   170/022  11/0119   160/033 10/2325  

KNJM-BOGUE AIR FIELD                                                
34.69 -77.03   1015.6 08/0857   190/023  11/0300   190/032 11/0300  

KOAJ-JACKSONVILLE AIRPORT NC                                        
34.83 -77.62   1014.9 10/0015   170/020  11/0055   170/029 11/0135  

KMRH-BEAUFORT AIRPORT NC                                            
34.72 -76.65   1015.2 08/0758   180/022  11/0658   180/030 11/0658  

KEWN-NEW BERN NC                                                    
35.09 -77.05   1015.6 11/1029   180/019  11/0335   180/029 11/0335  

KNBT-PINEY ISLAND BOMBING RANGE                                     
35.02 -76.46   1016.9 11/0943   200/022  11/1956   170/036 10/1408  

REMARKS: 


NON-METAR OBSERVATIONS... 
NOTE: ANEMOMETER HEIGHT IN METERS AND WIND AVERAGING PERIOD IN
MINUTES INDICATED UNDER MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WIND IF KNOWN
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCATION  ID    MIN    DATE/     MAX      DATE/     PEAK    DATE/
LAT  LON        PRES   TIME      SUST     TIME      GUST    TIME
DEG DECIMAL     (MB)   (UTC)     (KT)     (UTC)     (KT)    (UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FORT MACON                                                         
34.70 -76.71   1012.2 08/0758   086/027  09/1028   150/038 10/2333  
                                 10   
REMARKS: FORT MACON OBSERVATIONS ARE COURTESY OF WEATHER FLOW INC.



B. MARINE OBSERVATIONS...
NOTE: ANEMOMETER HEIGHT IN METERS AND WIND AVERAGING PERIOD IN
MINUTES INDICATED UNDER MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WIND IF KNOWN
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCATION  ID    MIN    DATE/     MAX      DATE/     PEAK    DATE/
LAT  LON        PRES   TIME      SUST     TIME      GUST    TIME
DEG DECIMAL     (MB)   (UTC)     (KT)     (UTC)     (KT)    (UTC)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
CLKN7-CAPE LOOKOUT C-MAN STATION                                    
34.60  -76.52  1014.6 08/0800   151/026  10/1330   150/035 10/2246  
                                   9.8
 
BFTN7-BEAUFORT TIDE GAUGE                                           
34.72  -76.67  1014.2 08/0800   176/028  11/0400   176/032 11/0400  
                                   7
 
ALLIGATOR RIVER BRIDGE                                              
35.90  -76.01  1014.1 11/1416   175/030  11/1546   102/037 09/2136  
                                   12
 
PAMLICO SOUND                                                       
35.42  -75.83  1015.0 11/0815   162/032  11/1325   140/041 11/0750  
                                   13
 
OCRACOKE                                                            
35.13  -76.00  1016.4 11/0705   157/029  11/0615   190/038 11/0730  
                                   7
 
REMARKS: PAMLICO SOUND, OCRACOKE, AND ALLIGATOR BRIDGE DATA ARE
COURTESY OF WEATHER FLOW INC. 



C. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL FROM 1200 UTC MAY 08 UNTIL 1200 UTC MAY 12
---------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY/TOWN                    COUNTY               ID         RAINFALL
LAT LON                                                       (IN)   
DEG DECIMAL
---------------------------------------------------------------------
7 SW KINSTON                 LENOIR              COCORAHS      6.89  
35.20  -77.68

7 SE KINSTON                 JONES               COOP          6.87  
35.20  -77.50

2.8 NW RICHLANDS             ONSLOW              COCORAHS      6.03  
34.92  -77.58

1 NW JACKSONVILLE            ONSLOW              COCORAHS      5.80  
34.77  -77.42

3.7 WNW KINSTON              LENOIR              COCORAHS      5.53  
35.29  -77.65

5.3 SSW RICHLANDS            ONSLOW              COCORAHS      5.45  
34.82  -77.58

1.8 SE ALBERTSON             DUPLIN              COCORAHS      5.39  
35.09  -77.79

6.8 NW JACKSONVILLE          ONSLOW              COCORAHS      5.35  
34.83  -77.49

3.3 NNW BEULAVILLE           DUPLIN              COCORAHS      5.24  
34.96  -77.80

4.7 ESE KINSTON              LENOIR              COCORAHS      5.24  
35.24  -77.51

1.2 NE JACKSONVILLE          ONSLOW              COCORAHS      5.15  
34.77  -77.39

GURGANUS                     ONSLOW              COCORAHS      4.79  
34.75  -77.65

4.4 WNW KINSTON              LENOIR              COCORAHS      4.68  
35.29  -77.66

3.3 NW SWANSBORO             ONSLOW              COCORAHS      4.47  
34.72  -77.17

1 NNE TRENT WOODS            CRAVEN              COCORAHS      4.45  
35.09  -77.09

5.3 N BEAUFORT               CARTERET            COCORAHS      4.28  
34.79  -76.65

NEW RIVER AIR STATION        ONSLOW              ASOS          4.27  
34.70  -77.44

MAYESVILLE                   ONSLOW              COCORAHS      4.25  
34.79  -77.20

JACKSONVILLE EOC             ONSLOW              COOP          4.13  
34.76  -77.40

4.4 SW NEW BERN              CRAVEN              COCORAHS      4.09  
35.07  -77.13

4.2 S NEW BERN               CRAVEN              COCORAHS      4.07  
35.05  -77.08

MOUNT OLIVE                  DUPLIN              COCORAHS      4.06  
35.15  -78.11

4.9 SE HUBERT                ONSLOW              COCORAHS      4.04  
34.67  -77.18

0.5 E EMERALD ISLE           CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.92  
34.66  -77.02

KENANSVILLE                  DUPLIN              AWOS          3.87  
34.96  -77.97

4.9 SSE KINSTON              LENOIR              COCORAHS      3.82  
35.20  -77.56

4.6 SW NEW BERN              CRAVEN              COCORAHS      3.79  
35.07  -77.14

8.8 W NEW BERN               CRAVEN              COCORAHS      3.77  
35.11  -77.23

0.6 SSE MANTEO               OUTER BANKS DARE    COCORAHS      3.73  
35.88  -75.67

4.8 ENE HOLLY RIDGE          ONSLOW              COCORAHS      3.72  
34.51  -77.48

6.5 N BEAUFORT               CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.71  
34.81  -76.65

MOUNT OLIVE                  DUPLIN              COCORAHS      3.64  
35.11  -77.81

SNOW HILL                    GREENE              COOP          3.64  
35.45  -77.67

PERRTYOWN                    CRAVEN              COOP          3.63  
35.05  -77.08

1.3 SSE TRENT WOODS          CRAVEN              COCORAHS      3.63  
35.05  -77.09

0.8 ENE RIVER BEND           CRAVEN              COCORAHS      3.62  
35.07  -77.14

4.6 W GREENVILLE             PITT                COCORAHS      3.62  
35.59  -77.46

2.4 WNW MOREHEAD CITY        CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.61  
34.73  -76.77

4.6 NNE KINSTON              LENOIR              COCORAHS      3.61  
35.33  -77.56

2.4 ENE LA GRANGE            LENOIR              COCORAHS      3.53  
35.31  -77.75

0.4 SW MARSHALLBERG          CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.51  
34.71  -76.52

5.3 SW NEW BERN              CRAVEN              COCORAHS      3.46  
35.06  -77.14

3.4 W MOREHEAD CITY          CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.45  
34.72  -76.79

0.4 ENE TRENT WOODS          CRAVEN              COCORAHS      3.30  
35.07  -77.09

1.7 ESE AYDEN                PITT                COCORAHS      3.27  
35.46  -77.39

3.7 S AYDEN                  PITT                COCORAHS      3.23  
35.41  -77.42

1 E ATLANTIC BEACH           CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.23  
34.69  -76.72

0.5 SW DAVIS                 CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.20  
34.78  -76.47

3.3 W GREENVILLE             PITT                COCORAHS      3.20  
35.59  -77.43

BEAUFORT                     CARTERET            ASOS          3.17  
34.72  -76.65

1.5 WNW HARKERS ISLAND       CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.17  
34.70  -76.58

2.8 WSW GREENVILLE           PITT                COCORAHS      3.17  
35.58  -77.42

2.0 WNW MOREHEAD CITY        CARTERET            COOP          3.16  
34.73  -76.76

3.2 NE HARKERS ISLAND        CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.13  
34.73  -76.52

2.5 NNW WINTERVILLE          PITT                COCORAHS      3.12  
35.56  -77.42

0.3 NE PINE KNOLL SHORES     CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.12  
34.69  -76.81

1.5 NNW BEAUFORT             CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.12  
34.74  -76.67

0.1 NE FOUNTAIN              PITT                COCORAHS      3.12  
35.67  -77.64

2.8 WNW WINTERVILLE          PITT                COCORAHS      3.11  
35.54  -77.44

1.4 E PINE KNOLL SHORES      CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.11  
34.69  -76.79

1.0 WNW MANTEO               OUTER BANKS DARE    COCORAHS      3.09  
35.90  -75.68

1.7 SSE NEWPORT              CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.08  
34.76  -76.85

ATLANTIC BEACH               CARTERET            COOP          3.08  
34.70  -76.74

6.0 WNW MOREHEAD CITY        CARTERET            COCORAHS      3.07  
34.75  -76.83

2.5 WNW MANTEO               OUTER BANKS DARE    COCORAHS      3.01  
35.91  -75.71

REMARKS: TROPICAL STORM ANA MOVED VERY SLOWLY OFF THE SOUTH CAROLINA
COAST ON MAY 8TH. ANA MOVED NEAR CAPE FEAR ON MAY 9TH. THE CENTER OF
ANA TRACKED WEST ALONG THE I-95 CORRIDOR THROUGH EAST-CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA FROM THE AFTERNOON ON THE 10TH THROUGH THE 11TH. THE STORM
TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE FROM MAY 8TH THROUGH MAY 11TH.



D. INLAND FLOODING...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LENOIR...ONE NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG THE BORDER OF LENOIR/JONES COUNTY
WAS IMPACTED BY INLAND FLOODING ADJACENT TO THE SOUTHWEST CREEK. THE
AREA RECEIVED FIVE TO SEVEN INCHES OF RAIN FROM TROPICAL STORM ANA
WHICH LEAD TO THE RISE OF SOUTHWEST CREEK. AUTHORITIES INDICATED
ABOUT TEN HOMES WERE CUT OFF BY THE HIGH WATER WHICH RANGED FOUR TO
FIVE FEET DEEP IN PLACES. THE SOUTHWOOD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
USED THEIR BOAT ON MONDAY, MAY 11TH, TO REACH PEOPLE THAT WERE
STRANDED ALONG OWENS SMITH ROAD. NO DAMAGE ESTIMATES ARE AVAILABLE
AT THIS TIME.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

E. MAXIMUM STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
OFFICIAL TIDE GAUGES NOTED WITH LEADING G
---------------------------------------------------------------------

COUNTY           CITY/TOWN        SURGE   TIDE   DATE/   BEACH       
                 OR LOCATION      (FT)    (FT)   TIME    EROSION     
---------------------------------------------------------------------

REMARKS: 



F. TORNADOES...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(DIST)CITY/TOWN              COUNTY           DATE/         EF SCALE 
LAT LON (DEG DECIMAL                          TIME(UTC)    (IF KNOWN)
DESCRIPTION                                                          
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1 S MANTEO                   OUTER BANKS DARE 11/2110          EFO   
35.88  -75.67

A WATERSPOUT FORMED OVER THE CROATAN SOUND DURING THE AFTERNOON
HOURS OF MAY 11TH THAT TRACKED NORTHEAST OVER ROANOKE ISLAND CAUSING
DAMAGE TO A FEW TREES AND THE ROOF OF ONE HOUSE. ONE AWNING AND ONE
STREET SIGN WERE ALSO DAMAGED. THE WATERSPOUT WAS SEEN BY THE PUBLIC
AS IT CROSSED FROM THE CROATAN SOUND INTO SOUTHERN MANTEO. THE
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 80 MPH. NO FATALITIES OR
INJURIES WERE REPORTED.

SOURCES:

National Hurricane Center

Weather Prediction Center