page_title: Tropical Storm Alpha (2005)
section_title: Meteorological history
hierarchical_section_title: Tropical Storm Alpha (2005) / Meteorological history
caption_attribution_description: English: Track map of Tropical Storm Alpha of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. The points show the location of the storm at 6-hour intervals. The colour represents the storm's maximum sustained wind speeds as classified in the Saffir–Simpson scale (see below), and the shape of the data points represent the nature of the storm, according to the legend below. Saffir–Simpson scale Tropical depression≤38 mph≤62 km/h Category 3111–129 mph178–208 km/h Tropical storm39–73 mph63–118 km/h Category 4130–156 mph209–251 km/h Category 174–95 mph119–153 km/h Category 5≥157 mph≥252 km/h Category 296–110 mph154–177 km/h Unknown Storm type Tropical cyclone Subtropical cyclone Extratropical cyclone / Remnant low / Tropical disturbance / Monsoon depression
context_page_description: Tropical Storm Alpha was the twenty-third named storm of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Since the 21 names from the predetermined A–W list were all used, Alpha was the first tropical storm ever to be given a name from the Greek alphabet. On October 20, Tropical Depression Twenty-five 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.
context_section_description: Alpha's origins were from a tropical wave that developed near the Windward Islands on October 20. 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 Twenty-five, southeast of Hispaniola. Shortly thereafter, satellite imagery indicated that a closed circulation had developed, and the associated convection had started banding. 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.
  When Alpha came within the Doppler weather radar range of Puerto Rico, the radar suggested that an eyewall-like feature had developed. 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. 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.
  Late on October 23, Alpha made landfall in Hispaniola, quickly decreasing in intensity as it did so. 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. The storm soon developed an elongated center of circulation which indicated that the system was weakening. 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. Shortly thereafter, the remnant low was absorbed into the circulation of Hurricane Wilma on October 25.
caption: Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
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