Tropical Storm Alberto was a damaging
pre-season tropical cyclone that caused $125 million in damage to the
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Mississ ...
in late May 2018, the costliest for any pre-season tropical cyclone. The first storm of the
2018 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season was the third in a consecutive series of above-average and damaging Atlantic hurricane seasons, featuring 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes, which caused a total of over $50 billion ( ...
, Alberto developed on May 25 near the
Yucatán Peninsula as a
subtropical cyclone. As it entered the
Gulf of Mexico, Alberto intensified and transitioned into a tropical cyclone. Early on May 28, Alberto reached its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 990 mbar (hPa; 29.23 inHg). Afterward, however, dry air caused Alberto to weaken before it made
landfall near
Laguna Beach, Florida
Laguna Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bay County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,932 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Panama City– Lynn Haven– Panama City Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area. Laguna Be ...
, with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). Alberto maintained a compact area of thunderstorms as it progressed through the central United States, entering southern
Michigan as a tropical depression on May 31. That day, Alberto weakened further and dissipated over
Ontario.
Along its path, Alberto dropped heavy rainfall, mainly to the east of its storm path. In Cuba, storm flooding killed ten people, and also damaged houses, roads and crops. Floodwaters caused an oil spill in
Cienfuegos Bay
Cienfuegos Bay ( es, Bahia de Cienfuegos) is a bay in the Caribbean Sea located in Cienfuegos Province on the southern coast of Cuba. It has served as a harbor for boats for many years. It has two of the most important ports in the country, one of ...
. In the United States, Alberto caused about $125 million (2018
USD) in damage, as well as eight deaths. Five fatalities occurred in
North Carolina, three of which were a result of landslides, and the other two from fallen trees. Flooding was responsible for the deaths of three people in
Virginia. The storm caused
coastal flooding along the
United States Gulf Coast, most significantly in
Florida where it moved ashore.
Meteorological history
On May 12, a
trough
Trough may refer to:
In science
* Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench
* Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure
* Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave
* Trough level (medicine), the l ...
moved eastward from Mexico and stalled over the
Gulf of Mexico and the
Caribbean Sea. By May 20, the trough had rotated into a northwest–southeast orientation, which increased
diffluence
Deformation is the rate of change of shape of fluid bodies. Meteorologically, this quantity is very important in the formation of atmospheric fronts, in the explanation of cloud shapes, and in the diffusion of materials and properties.Djurić, D ...
and contributed to the formation of a broad
low pressure area over the northwest Caribbean.
Early on May 21, the
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the division of the United States' NOAA/National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical weather systems between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 3 ...
(NHC) first indicated the potential for the low to undergo future
cyclonic development. On May 23, the low moved over the eastern
Yucatán Peninsula,
where its development was impeded due to strong
wind shear and dry air. On May 25, the low moved back over the Caribbean Sea and developed a well-defined circulation. That day, the NHC designated the system as a
subtropical depression while it was located about 80 mi (130 km) east-northeast of
Chetumal,
Quintana Roo. The subtropical designation was due to the depression's interaction with an upper-level
low
Low or LOW or lows, may refer to:
People
* Low (surname), listing people surnamed Low
Places
* Low, Quebec, Canada
* Low, Utah, United States
* Lo Wu station (MTR code LOW), Hong Kong; a rail station
* Salzburg Airport (ICAO airport code: LO ...
, as well as its broad wind field, with multiple low-level circulations evident.
With most of the
convection located east of the center, the subtropical depression remained disorganized as it moved northward. On May 26, the center redeveloped under the primary area of convection in the Gulf of Mexico, northeast of the previous weak circulation in the Caribbean. Soon after this structural improvement, the depression intensified into a subtropical storm off the northwest tip of Cuba, and was named Alberto. Operationally, the NHC considered Alberto a subtropical storm from its first advisory in the Caribbean.
As Alberto moved parallel to Florida's west coast, a large band of thunderstorms persisted to the east of the storm's center, extending from Florida to Cuba. The thunderstorms concentrated near the center and became more symmetrical, a sign that the storm was transitioning into a
tropical cyclone. Alberto became fully tropical by 00:00
UTC on May 28 while nearing the
Florida panhandle
The Florida Panhandle (also West Florida and Northwest Florida) is the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida; it is a Salient (geography), salient roughly long and wide, lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia (U. ...
. Around that time, the
Hurricane Hunters observed
maximum sustained winds
The maximum sustained wind associated with a tropical cyclone is a common
indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, it is found within the eyewall at a distance defined as the radius of maximum wind, or RMW. Unl ...
of 65 mph (100 km/h), which would be the storm's peak intensity.
While near its maximum intensity, Alberto moved slowly around the northern side of an upper-level low, and the intrusion of drier air into the circulation caused the thunderstorms to weaken. Tropical Storm Alberto made
landfall near
Laguna Beach, Florida
Laguna Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Bay County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,932 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Panama City– Lynn Haven– Panama City Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area. Laguna Be ...
at 21:00 UTC on May 29 with sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). Operationally, the NHC maintained the system as a subtropical storm, although the agency noted ambiguity with the storm's structure.
Alberto quickly weakened to a tropical depression as it moved inland, although it maintained an area of thunderstorms over a well-defined center.
The system maintained its structure and intensity over land due to a phenomenon known as the
brown ocean effect
The brown ocean effect is an observed weather phenomenon involving some tropical cyclones after landfall. Normally, hurricanes and tropical storms lose strength when they make landfall, but when the brown ocean effect is in play, tropical cyclon ...
, in which sufficient ground moisture negates the otherwise deleterious effects that tracking inland has on a tropical cyclone.
On May 30, an approaching trough turned the system northeastward, and Alberto entered southern
Michigan as a tropical depression the following day. Soon thereafter, however, the system degenerated into a remnant low pressure area. The low crossed
Lake Huron
Lake Huron ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrology, Hydrologically, it comprises the easterly portion of Lake Michigan–Huron, having the same surface elevation as Lake Michigan, to which it is connected by the , Strait ...
and dissipated over western
Ontario by 12:00 UTC that day.
Preparations

Upon the classification of Alberto as a subtropical storm, the
Government of Mexico issued a tropical storm watch for the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula from
Tulum to
Cabo Catoche
Cabo Catoche or Cape Catoche, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, is the northernmost point on the Yucatán Peninsula. It lies in the municipality of Isla Mujeres, about north of the city of Cancún. According to the International Hydrograp ...
. The
Government of Cuba
Cuba has had a socialist political system since 1959 based on the "one state – one party" principle. Cuba is constitutionally defined as a Marxist–Leninist state. The present Constitution of Cuba, which was passed in a 2019 referendum, also ...
also issued a tropical storm watch for the province of
Pinar del Río
Pinar del Río is the capital city of Pinar del Río Province, Cuba. With a population of 139,336 (2004) in a municipality of 190,332, it is the List of cities in Cuba, 10th-largest city in Cuba. Inhabitants of the area are called ''Pinareños'' ...
. The tropical storm watch for the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula was discontinued at 12:00 UTC on May 26, while the tropical storm watch for Pinar del Río was replaced with a tropical storm warning three hours later.
Multiple
tropical storm watches and warnings were issued across the
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Mississ ...
in preparation for Alberto's arrival. The first advisories were issued at 21:00 UTC on May 25, with a tropical storm watch being issued from
Indian Pass, Florida
Indian Pass is a small area on the south coast of Gulf County, Florida, 8 miles south of Port St. Joe. It promotes itself as an uncrowded haven for sports fisherman and water enthusiasts, and for dining featuring locally caught oysters. A ferry pro ...
, westward to
Grand Isle, Louisiana, and a
storm surge
A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the n ...
watch being issued from
Horseshoe Beach, Florida
Horseshoe Beach is a town in Dixie County, Florida, United States. The population was 169 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Horseshoe Beach is located in southern Dixie County at (29.440547, –83.288776), on the Gulf of Mexico. County Road 351 ...
, to the
mouth
In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on ...
of the
Mississippi River. At 15:00 UTC the following day, a tropical storm warning was issued for the
Dry Tortugas in the
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and e ...
, and the storm surge watch on the Gulf Coast of the United States was extended eastward to
Crystal River, Florida. At 21:00 UTC, tropical storm warnings were issued for the west coast of Florida from
Bonita Beach to the
Anclote River
The Anclote River, running for U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 18, 2011 near Tarpon Springs, Florida flows westward towards the Gulf of Mexico from its source of c ...
, and for the northern Gulf Coast from the
Aucilla River westward to the Mississippi/Alabama border. All warnings were discontinued after the tropical cyclone moved ashore.
A state of emergency was declared for the states of
Mississippi,
Alabama and
Florida, where Alberto was expected to have the greatest impacts. In advance of Alberto, multiple evacuation orders were issued for parts of Florida. In
Franklin County, a mandatory evacuation order was put in place for its barrier islands, while in nearby
Taylor County, a voluntary evacuation order was issued for coastal areas. Florida governor
Rick Scott
Richard Lynn Scott ( Myers, born December 1, 1952) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from Florida since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was the 45th governor of Florida from 2011 to 2019.
Scott ...
declared a state of emergency for the entirety of Florida on May 26. In the Gulf of Mexico, oil companies
Exxon Mobil Corp
ExxonMobil Corporation (commonly shortened to Exxon) is an American multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Irving, Texas. It is the largest direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, and was formed on November 30, ...
,
Royal Dutch Shell and
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation. The second-largest direct descendant of Standard Oil, and originally known as the Standard Oil Company of California (shortened to Socal or CalSo), it is headquartered in S ...
evacuated workers and shut down production platforms in Alberto's path.
Impact
Northwestern Caribbean

Alberto produced heavy rainfall along the Yucatán Peninsula, causing flooding in
Mérida, Yucatán.
During its formative stages, Alberto also dropped heavy rainfall across much of western Cuba, peaking at in Heriberto Duquezne,
Villa Clara. At least of rainfall fell in
Pinar del Rio
Pinar may refer to:
* Pınar, Turkish feminine given name
* Píñar, municipality located in the province of Granada, Spain
* Pinar del Río, a city of Cuba
* Pinar del Río Province, a province of Cuba
* Pinar, Albania, village in Tirana County ...
,
Artemisa,
Matanzas
Matanzas (Cuban ) is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. Known for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore, it is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas (Spanish ''Bahia de Matanzas''), east ...
,
Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos (), capital of Cienfuegos Province, is a city on the southern coast of Cuba. It is located about from Havana and has a population of 150,000. Since the late 1960s, Cienfuegos has become one of Cuba's main industrial centers, especial ...
,
Sancti Spíritus and
Ciego de Avila
Ciego is a Spanish word meaning "blind". It may refer to:
Places
*Ciego de Ávila, a Cuban city, seat of the homonym province
*Ciego de Ávila Province, a Cuban province
*Arriete-Ciego Montero, a Cuban village in Cienfuegos Province
Other
*Ciego ...
provinces. The rain caused flooding and landslides across central and western Cuba, killing ten people due to drowning, and forcing at least 40,000 people to evacuate their homes.
Zaza Reservoir, Cuba's largest reservoir, rose to its second-highest level on record.
Storm surge and abnormally high tides caused coastal flooding on
Isla de la Juventud
Isla de la Juventud (; en, Isle of Youth) is the second-largest Cuban island (after Cuba's mainland) and the seventh-largest island in the West Indies (after mainland Cuba itself, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and Andros Islan ...
, and from Pinar del Río to
Mayabeque Province.
Alberto's flooding in Cuba forced more than 52,000 people to leave their houses. Power cuts affected nearly 60,000 people.
Nationwide, the storm damaged 5,218 houses,
as well as of crops. Elevated water levels in
Zapata Swamp submerged hundreds of houses, with floodwaters persisting even 18 days after the storm.
Flooding damaged roads and bridges, isolating some villages and impeding transportation and relief aid.
In
Taguasco, a bridge across the
Zaza River was swept away,
with reconstruction commencing a few weeks after the storm.
Floodwaters inundated numerous streets, including
Autopista A1 in Villa Clara Province, forcing authorities to close the road.
At the
Cienfuegos oil refinery, the water treatment pond overflowed amid storm flooding, which spilled about of oily water into
Cienfuegos Bay
Cienfuegos Bay ( es, Bahia de Cienfuegos) is a bay in the Caribbean Sea located in Cienfuegos Province on the southern coast of Cuba. It has served as a harbor for boats for many years. It has two of the most important ports in the country, one of ...
.
Despite cleanup efforts, the oil spill negatively affected the area's ecosystem.
After the storm, officials provided food and building supplies to residents who sustained storm damage,
and planted crops to regrow the damaged supply.
United States

Across the United States, Alberto caused about $125 million in wind and water damage, and was responsible for eight deaths. In North Carolina, landslides killed a woman in
Polk County, North Carolina and two women near
Boone when a gas leak caused an explosion.
WYFF News 4 anchor Mike McCormick and photojournalist Aaron Smeltzer died while covering the storm after a tree fell onto their vehicle on
U.S. Route 176
U.S. Route 176 (US 176) is a spur of US 76 in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The U.S. Highway runs from US 25 Business and North Carolina Highway 225 (NC 225) in Hendersonville, North Carolina, east to US 52 in Goose Cre ...
. In Virginia, flooding killed two people near
Charlottesville and one person in
Madison County.
Alberto dropped heavy rainfall across Florida for several days. This contributed to Florida having the wettest May on record in 2018. The highest precipitation total in the state was at Taylor Creek on the northern shore of
Lake Okeechobee. A
Flash Flood Warning
A flash flood warning ( SAME code: FFW) is an hazardous weather statement issued by national weather forecasting agencies throughout the world to alert the public that a flash flood is imminent or occurring in the warned area. A flash flood is a ...
was issued for Okaloosa and Walton Counties around the time of landfall. Along the Florida panhandle, the storm produced a
storm surge
A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the n ...
at
Apalachicola,
which inundated nearby coastal roads, beaches, boat ramps, and parks. Floodwaters entered five buildings and a restaurant along the Florida panhandle.
Winds in the state were strongest near where the storm moved ashore, with a peak gust of 59 mph (94 km/h) recorded along the
St. George Island Bridge
The 4-mile (6.4–km) St. George Island Bridge (officially named the Bryant Patton Memorial Bridge and designated State Road 300 from end to end, plus approaches) was built in 2002 (completed in 2004) when the two original bridges (cut by an ...
, as well as sustained winds of 51 mph (81 km/h).
The winds knocked down dozens of trees, some of which fell onto roads and power lines. In
Tallahassee, about 9,000 people lost power during the storm. Downed trees damaged one house in
Wakulla and
Holmes counties. In
Jefferson County, a tree fell onto a vehicle on
interstate 10
Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
, which seriously injured two people.
In
Port Salerno
Port Salerno is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Martin County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,401 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Port S ...
far from the storm's landfall, Alberto's outer rainbands spawned a brief
EF0
The Enhanced Fujita scale (abbreviated as EF-Scale) rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage they cause. It is used in some countries, including the United States, Canada, China, and Mongolia.
The Enhanced Fujita scale repla ...
tornado, which lifted a trampoline into nearby power lines.
West of the storm's landfall, Alberto flooded coastal areas of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana as the storm moved ashore.
High winds caused localized tree damage in southeastern Alabama.
The storm's outer rainbands spawned an
EF0
The Enhanced Fujita scale (abbreviated as EF-Scale) rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage they cause. It is used in some countries, including the United States, Canada, China, and Mongolia.
The Enhanced Fujita scale repla ...
tornado near
Cameron, South Carolina. The tornado was on the ground for 0.3 miles (0.48 km) and had winds reaching at least 80 mph (130 km/h), strong enough to lift trees, damage crops, and cause minor structural damage. The heaviest rainfall occurred east of the storm's path. The highest rainfall in the United States was , recorded near
Helen, Georgia. Farther northeast,
Jonas Ridge, North Carolina recorded of rainfall. Intense precipitation in western North Carolina caused flooding along several rivers. The
Catawba River near
Pleasant Garden, North Carolina
Pleasant Garden is a town in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,489 at the 2010 census.
History
Incorporated in 1997 from Fentress Township, Pleasant Garden was first settled in 1786, and known as a business distr ...
crested at , nearly above flood stage.
Heavy rainfall triggered mudslides along the
Blue Ridge Mountains, and caused numerous waterways to exceed their banks. Flooding closed more than 40 roads in western North Carolina. Concern about the failure of the
Lake Tahoma
Lake Tahoma is a private lake in the mountains of Western North Carolina, United States, in McDowell County. It is fed by the waters of Buck Creek, a tributary of the Catawba River.''Marion West, North Carolina,'' 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle ...
Dam led to the evacuation of 2,000 people until the structure was considered safe.
Flooding also occurred in parts of
Georgia,
Kentucky,
South Carolina,
Tennessee, and Virginia. Farther inland, Alberto spawned two weak tornadoes, one near
Marseilles, Illinois
Marseilles ( ) is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. An Illinois River town, the population was 4,845 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 5,094 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ot ...
, the other near
Pleasant Hill, Ohio
Pleasant Hill is a village in Miami County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,200 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Pleasant Hill was originally called Newton, and under the latter name ...
. The latter tornado damaged an outbuilding.
In
Illinois, heavy rainfall from the storm, combined with previois rains earlier on in the month, set records for the month of May in several cities, including
Chicago.
See also
*
Other tropical cyclones named Alberto
*
List of off-season Atlantic hurricanes
An off-season Atlantic hurricane is a recorded tropical or subtropical cyclone that existed in the Atlantic basin outside of the official Atlantic hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration currently defines the season ...
*
List of Alabama hurricanes
An Alabama hurricane is a North Atlantic tropical cyclone that affected the U.S. state of Alabama. So far (as of July 2022) 83 tropical and subtropical cyclones have directly or indirectly affected Alabama since HURDAT began in 1851. Only three ...
*
List of Florida hurricanes (2000–present)
The list of Florida hurricanes from the 21st century has been marked by several devastating North Atlantic hurricanes; 79 tropical or subtropical cyclones, their remnants, or their precursors have affected the U.S. state of Florida. Collect ...
*
Tropical Storm Arlene (1959) – Another May tropical storm that struck the northern Gulf Coast
*
Tropical Storm Arlene (2005) – Another tropical cyclone that made a similar track back in 2005.
*
Hurricane Michael (2018) – Catastrophic Category 5 hurricane that made landfall in a similar location only a few months later.
References
External links
* The National Hurricane Center'
advisory archive on Subtropical Storm Alberto* The Weather Prediction Center'
advisory archive on Subtropical Depression Alberto
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alberto (2018)
2018 Atlantic hurricane season
Atlantic tropical storms
Subtropical storms
Off-season Atlantic tropical cyclones
May 2018 events in North America
Atlantic hurricanes in Mexico
Hurricanes in Florida
Hurricanes in Alabama
Hurricanes in Tennessee
Hurricanes in Kentucky
Hurricanes in Illinois
Hurricanes in Michigan
Alberto