Tropical Cyclone Activity Report – Atlantic Ocean / Caribbean Sea / Gulf of Mexico

Subtropical Storm Alberto is located about 50 miles west-northwest of Dothan, Alabama

Subtropical Storm Alberto has struck the Florida Panhandle coast…near Laguna Beach, Florida

Alberto is the first named storm of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season. There has never been a hurricane landfall in the Gulf of Mexico in the month of May.
Subtropical Storm Alberto is quickly losing its strength…the main weather threats of this impact, included flash flooding, rip currents, gusty winds, coastal flooding, storm surge, and tornadoes to the southeastern United States, with the center of the storm having made landfall along the Florida Panhandle.
Here’s a wide ranging radar image
Here’s the current conditions in the area, along with the flood alerts over the southeastern United States.
Even after landfall, Alberto’s remnant will move slowly, maintaining the tropical moisture flow into the Southeast, possibly extending into parts of the Ohio Valley with time.
Maximum sustained winds are 35 mph.
Here’s what the computer models are showing for this storm.
Here’s the NOAA 5-day Precipitation Outlook graphic
Here’s a near real time wind profile of this subtropical storm.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), satellite and NWS Doppler radar data indicate that the center of Alberto is making landfall along the coast of the Florida panhandle near Laguna Beach with maximum winds estimated at 40 kt. The overall organization of the system has changed little throughout the day as bands of convection have continued to develop primarily over the northern portion of the circulation. Data from the Air Force reconnaissance aircraft showed that the pressure continued to slowly rise and it was estimated to be 994 mb on the last fix just before 1700 UTC.
Alberto should quickly weaken as the circulation moves inland this evening and the system should become a depression by late tonight or early Tuesday. Alberto has been moving northward or 355/8 kt. The track forecast reasoning has not changed from the previous advisory. The cyclone should move northward to north-northwestward around the western periphery of a mid-level ridge located over the western Atlantic over the next couple of days. The system is forecast to be absorbed by a frontal system over Canada in 3 to 4 days.
KEY MESSAGES:
1. Heavy rainfall will lead to a significant risk of flash flooding across the Florida Panhandle, much of Alabama, and western Georgia through tonight, spreading northward into northern Georgia, the western Carolinas, and Tennessee on Tuesday.
2. A hazardous storm surge remains possible along portions of the coast of the Florida panhandle through this evening. Residents in the storm surge watch area are encouraged to follow guidance given by their local government officials.
3. Tropical storm conditions are likely within portions of the tropical storm warning through this evening.
4. Dangerous surf and rip current conditions will continue to affect portions of the eastern and northern Gulf Coast through Tuesday.
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND  
RAINFALL: Alberto is expected to produce the following rain accumulations through Tuesday: The Florida panhandle across eastern and central Alabama and western Georgia…4 to 8 inches, isolated 12 inches. The Florida Keys and Florida peninsula…Additional 1 to 2 inches, isolated 5 inches. Rest of the Southeast and Tennessee Valley into the lower mid Atlantic from Tennessee east through the Carolinas…2 to 6 inches. Flooding and flash flooding are possible in the southeast United States, including Florida.
WIND: Tropical storm conditions will continue within portions of the warning area into this evening.
STORM SURGE: The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide…
Acuilla River to Mexico Beach…1 to 3 ft
A National Ocean Service tide gauge at Apalachicola measured a water level of 2.99 ft above Mean Higher High Water earlier this afternoon. The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast. Surge- related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.
TORNADOES: Isolated tornadoes are possible through tonight over parts of Georgia and southeast Alabama.
SURF: Swells generated by Alberto will continue to affect the eastern and northern Gulf Coast through Tuesday. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
 
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for…
* Suwannee River to Mexico Beach
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Suwannee River to the Alabama/Florida border
A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations.