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On This Day in 2018: Tropical Storm Alberto Begins Development

May 23, 2022
By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Molly Robinson
Four years ago in 2018, Tropical Storm Alberto formed as a subtropical cyclone near the Yucatan Peninsula. While only later becoming a tropical storm, Alberto ended up causing significant damage to the Gulf Coast of the United States, the costliest for any pre-season tropical cyclone.

Although the Atlantic Hurricane season begins June 1st, sometimes tropical storms and hurricanes form prior to its start. In fact, the past 7 hurricane seasons have had at least 1 named storm prior to June 1st.

Tropical Storm Alberto began as an unnamed low pressure system over the eastern Yucatan Peninsula, but was heavily impeded by dry air and strong wind shear, or wind gradient. As this low moved into the warm Caribbean Sea on May 25th, circulation was defined and the National Hurricane Center labeled this as a subtropical depression. By May 28th, this depression was officially named Tropical Storm Alberto as it neared the Florida Panhandle before making landfall near Laguna Beach, Fla. on May 29th. Alberto quickly weakened as it traveled inland, weakening back to a tropical depression and continuing its track north into Michigan. By May 31st, Alberto had become a remnant low pressure system.

Despite only becoming a tropical storm, Alberto caused quite the ruckus for the northwestern Caribbean. While Alberto was in its forming stages, it caused significant flooding in the Yucatan Peninsula as well as western Cuba. Peak rain amounts occurred in Heriberto Duquezne, Villa Clara with 14.41 inches of rain reported. Because of the heavy rain and flooding, 10 people died due to drowning in Cuba with more than 52,000 people displaced and forced to leave their homes. Not only were homes destroyed by the rain, but farmers had to deal with a loss of 23,680 acres of crops. A oil refinery in Cienfuegos had a water treatment pond overflow with storm water, spilling 420,000 cubic feet of oily water into the Cienfuegos Bay, which ultimately negatively affected the ecosystem.

The United States also saw significant damage from Alberto. In total, Tropical Storm Alberto caused $125 million in wind and water damage as well as 8 deaths from related landslides, gas explosions, flooding and fallen trees. Alberto continued to bring heavy rain to the states with 11.8 inches of rain reported at Taylor Creek near Lake Okeechobee in Florida as well as producing a 3.08 feet storm surge at Apalachicola, Fla. In Helen, Ga., 12.30 inches of rain were recorded with Jones Ridge, N.C. seeing 12.21 inches of rain. The intense rain even caused mudslides along the Blue Ridge Mountains, significantly flooding several waterways.

Peak winds were 51 mph with gusts peaking at 59 mph along St. George Island Bridge in Apalachicola. Fallen trees were common and even a few EF0 tornadoes occurred in Florida and South Carolina as well as Illinois and Ohio. The one in South Carolina occurred in Cameron, reaching at least 80 mph winds, but was only on the ground for 0.3 miles. 

Although considered weak by the Saffir-Simpson scale, Tropical Storm Alberto produced significant damage to the United States and northwestern Caribbean and became the costliest pre-season tropical cyclone. 

Source: NOAA