Tropical Storm Ana Update
Tropical Storm Ana gained tropical characteristic early this morning but intensity has remained unchanged overnight.
Tropical Storm Ana is a strong than its satellite image leads on. Yesterday, Ana took us by surprise when it strengthened from 45 mph to 60 mph. Right now Ana probably won’t intensify any more than it has now and will most likely weaken as it travels over cooler waters west of the Gulf Stream. Ana is also still battling dry air over the US Mainland being pulled into the circulation suffocating the fuel for tropical storm intensification.
Forecast track for Tropical Storm Ana
Ana is still in a weak steering environment but has begun a slow NNW drift over the past couple of hours. Still feel this slow motion will continue for the next couple of hours before a slow increase in speed as the upper trough currently over Colorado moves eastward this weekend. Once the trough gets close enough, it is forecast to begin steering Ana northeastward over inland ENC with a significant increase in speed Monday morning.
Time frame brings Ana inland early Sunday morning and reaching middle ENC by early Monday morning. At this time, Ana will weaken significantly over land becoming a tropical depression on Sunday and extratropical by Tuesday morning when it will be pulling far away from the region.
Winds will reach tropical storm force along the coast from the northern South Carolina coast upwards to Cape Lookout. These strong winds will not make it far inland but tropical depression force winds could reach some western sections of ENC.
Main threat for the area will be the heavy rain. Most of the moisture is setting up on the northern and eastern side of the storm which means areas east of the center will receive the highest rainfall totals exceeding 1″. The immediate coast could see rainfall totals upwards of 2-3″.
More updates to come as Tropical Storm Ana moves closer to the coast.