The system that became Tropical Storm Alpha formed from a tropical wave and was first classified as a tropical depression at 1200 UTC on 22 October 2005 about 180 miles southwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It moved west-northwest toward Hispaniola, strengthened to a tropical storm at 1800 UTC on 22 October, reached its peak intensity early on 23 October, then weakened over the high terrain of Hispaniola and tracked northward over the southeastern Bahamas and the Atlantic before being absorbed by Hurricane Wilma at 0000 UTC 25 October.
Alpha made landfall in the Dominican Republic near the town of Barahona about 1000 UTC on 23 October 2005. At landfall it had maximum sustained winds of 45 knots (about 52 mph) and a central pressure near 1000 mb. After crossing Hispaniola the circulation weakened to a tropical depression and no other landfalls were recorded.
The storm’s maximum intensity was 45 knots (about 52 mph) with a minimum central pressure of 998 mb, measured at 0600 UTC on 23 October. By the Saffir–Simpson scale this was a tropical storm, not a hurricane.
Reported storm impacts included heavy rainfall; the largest reported 24‑hour total was 7.9 inches at Las Americas in the Dominican Republic. Coastal and local flood effects occurred near the landfall area around Barahona, Dominican Republic. No detailed widespread storm surge measurements are given in the report beyond localized coastal flooding associated with the landfall.
Alpha caused significant loss of life and damage from rain‑related hazards. Reports indicate 17 deaths in Haiti and 9 deaths in the Dominican Republic (26 total), primarily from floods and mudslides. At least 400 homes in Haiti were damaged or destroyed by floods and mudslides.
Noteworthy items: Alpha was the 22nd named storm of the extremely active 2005 season and the first time the NHC used a Greek-letter name. The cyclone was short lived, forecasts and track warnings had smaller-than-usual errors for that period, and Alpha was absorbed by the much larger circulation of Hurricane Wilma on 25 October.
Paid members can generate summaries tailored to the counties of their choice. The Alpha TCR covers impacts across many counties and states — a Pinellas County resident doesn't need the Asheville detail, and a Buncombe County resident doesn't need the Tampa surge data.
Upgrade for county-specific summariesSummary above produced from the National Hurricane Center's official post-storm Tropical Cyclone Report. Read the full report for casualty lists, damage estimates by area, forecast critique, and detailed meteorological discussion:
📄 Read NHC's full report on Alpha → (opens at nhc.noaa.gov)| Time (UTC) | Status | Lat | Lon | Winds (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-10-22 12:00 | TD | 15.80 | -67.50 | 30 | 1007 | |
| 2005-10-22 18:00 | TS | 16.50 | -68.50 | 35 | 1005 | |
| 2005-10-23 00:00 | TS | 17.30 | -69.60 | 45 | 1000 | |
| 2005-10-23 06:00 | TS | 17.80 | -70.50 | 45 | 998 | |
| 2005-10-23 10:00 | TS | 18.30 | -71.30 | 45 | 1000 | Landfall |
| 2005-10-23 12:00 | TS | 18.60 | -72.20 | 35 | 1002 | |
| 2005-10-23 18:00 | TD | 19.80 | -72.70 | 30 | 1004 | |
| 2005-10-24 00:00 | TD | 21.60 | -72.90 | 30 | 1004 | |
| 2005-10-24 06:00 | TD | 23.50 | -73.00 | 30 | 1004 | |
| 2005-10-24 12:00 | TD | 25.10 | -72.40 | 30 | 1004 | |
| 2005-10-24 18:00 | TD | 27.90 | -70.80 | 30 | 1004 |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 best-track database (nhc.noaa.gov/data). Data is in the public domain. Best-track positions and intensities are post-storm reanalysis estimates and may differ from real-time advisories.