Атлант мұхитының тропиктік дауілі "Ханна"

Atlantic tropical cyclone

Tropical Storm Hanna was a moderately strong tropical storm that affected the Gulf Coast and Southeastern regions of the United States. The ninth tropical cyclone and eighth named storm of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season, Hanna formed through the complex interaction of a surface trough, a tropical wave, and an upper level low pressure system, a disturbance in the upper atmosphere. Designated a tropical depression at 0000 UTC on September 12, the storm remained disorganized throughout its duration, though it attained tropical storm status and a peak intensity of , with winds of 60 miles per hour (100 km/h). Hanna crossed extreme southeastern Louisiana, and made a second landfall along the Alabama–Mississippi border. Because most of the associated convective activity was east of the center of circulation, Louisiana and Mississippi received minimal damage. However, on Dauphin Island, Alabama, the storm caused coastal flooding which closed roads and forced the evacuation of residents. Florida received high wind gusts, heavy rainfall, and strong surf that resulted in the deaths of three swimmers. 20,000 homes in the state lost electricity. The heavy rainfall progressed into Georgia, where significant flooding occurred. Crop damage was extensive, and about 335 structures were damaged by the flooding. The storm caused a total of about $20 million (2002 USD; $23.96 million 2008 USD) in damage.

A broad surface trough extended from the western Atlantic Ocean into the Gulf of Mexico in early September 2002. At the same time, a westward moving tropical wave entered the gulf on September 10 and spawned a weak low along the trough, with little associated thunderstorm activity. On September 11, an upper level low over the United States moved into the Gulf and became cut off from the flow, allowing atmospheric convection to develop to the east of the tropical wave. The surface low organized, and convection formed closer to the center of the low. At 0000 UTC on September 12, a Hurricane Hunters aircraft was able to find a well defined center of circulation; the National Hurricane Center (NHC) thus designated it a tropical depression while it was about 280 mile (451 km) south of Pensacola, Florida. After being designated, the cyclone became disorganized, and contained little deep and persistent convection; with dry air infringing on the western edge of the storm, substantial intensification was deemed unlikely. Despite being sheared, the cyclone neared tropical storm status later that day, though it remained a depression due to a partially non tropical appearance. Initially, the depression meandered towards the northeast due to weak steering currents, and it intensified into a tropical storm at 0600 UTC. As such, it was named Hanna by the National Hurricane Center. Over the next 24 hours, the low level center rotated around the mid and upper level centers, and the entire tropical storm turned southwestward by late September 12. Meandering, the storm started to turn northward under the steering currents of a southwesterly flow associated with an approaching mid level trough. Hanna then strengthened sharply to reach to its peak intensity of 60 miles per hour (100 km/h) at 0000 UTC on September 14. On September 14, the poorly organized cyclone crossed southeastern Louisiana, turned towards the north northeast and made a second landfall close to the Alabama–Mississippi border at 1500 UTC that day, still at its peak strength. The storm dissipated rapidly as it proceeded inland, and the remnant low pressure area moved into Georgia and South Carolina. On Dauphin Island in Alabama, some residents boarded up windows and filled sandbags provided by local fire departments to prepare for Hanna. The Red Cross opened 10 shelters throughout the Gulf Coast region. Little or no damage occurred in neighboring Mississippi, where similar effects were reported. One tornado, an F0 on the Fujita Scale, touched down in south Mobile County, knocking down trees. In Florida, peak gusts were recorded at near Pensacola Beach. forming a statewide total of 20,000 power outages. Due to high winds, bridges to offshore islands were closed. The fatalities prompted a local Police Major to comment, "People are getting into the water and not paying attention to the warning flags." Heavy rain fell throughout the central and western Panhandle; the highest reported total was , at Chipley. As a result, rivers topped their banks, while county roads and homes in Perry, The band of thunderstorms produced gusts of , downing trees and power lines. In the Atlanta metropolitan area, 48,000 customers received power outages. The winds tore a roof off a house and damaged a number of mobile homes. Roads were flooded, including parts of U. S. Route 27. Crop damage was significant in the state. According to the Georgia Farm Services Agency, $19 million (2002 USD; $22 million 2008 USD) in damage to cotton and peanut crops were reported. Various streams and ponds topped their banks, and flood waters on some roads reached an estimated deep. On South Carolina Highway 20, a motorist became stranded in high waters, and nearby houses were damaged. The rainfall delayed a football game at Williams Brice Stadium for about 50 minutes. Farther northward, the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna contributed to around 1 inch (25 mm) of rainfall in New England, particularly in Vermont.