Hurricane Ana (2021) (Blackford)

Hurricane Ana was the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin during the month of January. Peaking as a minimal Category 3 major hurricane on January 6, 2021, it formed on January 1, 2021.

It was the first named storm, first hurricane and first major hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season.

Meteorological history
On December 26, 2020, the NHC began monitoring a system in the Gulf of Mexico for the possibility of development into early January 2021.

The system moved into Florida on December 27, causing moderate flash flooding, before it reentered the Atlantic on December 29.

It rapidly organized overnight on December 31 and became Tropical Depression One early on January 1, the earliest forming tropical depression the Atlantic had ever seen.

It continued to rapidly intensify, becoming Tropical Storm Ana by noon, it pulled northeastward into waters in the mid 50s to low 60s, however continued to intensify.

By January 3, the storm had became a Category 1 hurricane off the coast of North Carolina, and continued strengthening.

On January 4, the storm underwent a eyewall replacement cycle, briefly weakening to a tropical storm before it started to rapidly intensify early on January 5.

It became the earliest Category 2 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin on January 5 as it moved northeastward, further intensifying into a Category 3 around noon on January 6, making it the first ever major hurricane in the month of January.

It entered cooler waters on January 7 and began to rapidly weaken on January 8, becoming a tropical storm-force remnant low on January 9.

It caused a single direct death in Boston on January 10 before it accelerated northeastward and diminished on January 11.

Retirement
Despite causing minimal damage and having a low death toll, the name Ana was retired by the World Meteorological Agency in Spring 2022. The name Ana will never again be used for a Atlantic hurricane. It was replaced by the name Alexander for use in the 2027 Atlantic hurricane season.