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Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook
000
ABNT20 KNHC 100209
TWOAT TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1030 PM EDT FRI JUN 09 2006
FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO...
A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE CENTERED BETWEEN HONDURAS AND WESTERN
CUBA HAS CHANGED LITTLE IN ORGANIZATION DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS.
HOWEVER...CONDITIONS APPEAR TO BE FAVORABLE FOR THIS SYSTEM TO
BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION OR A TROPICAL STORM DURING THE NEXT 12
TO 24 HOURS. THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE NORTHWARD ACROSS
EXTREME WESTERN CUBA AND THE YUCATAN CHANNEL BRINGING SQUALLS AND
ADDITIONAL RAINS TO THE CAYMAN ISLANDS AND PORTIONS OF CUBA. AN AIR
FORCE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT IS SCHEDULED TO INVESTIGATE THIS
SYSTEM TOMORROW AFTERNOON...IF NECESSARY. ALL INTERESTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE SOUTHEASTERN
GULF OF MEXICO SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.
BECAUSE DEVELOPMENT COULD OCCUR NEAR CUBA AT ANY TIME ON
SATURDAY...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH OR WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED FOR
PORTIONS OF WESTERN CUBA.
ELSEWHERE...TROPICAL STORM FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH
SUNDAY.
FORECASTER AVILA
Tropical Depression Heading Toward Florida
Tropical Depression Heading Toward Florida
By JENNIFER KAY, AP
MIAMI (June 10) - A tropical depression in the Caribbean headed toward Florida on
Saturday and was expected to become the first named storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season
The depression formed earlier in the day, nine days after the official start of the season, but the poorly
organized system was not expected to become a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.
"It will be relatively weak in terms of wind, but that doesn't mean it's going to be weak in terms of
rainfall," senior hurricane specialist Stacy Stewart said.
The system, which had maximum sustained wind near 35 mph, would be named Alberto if it reaches the 39
mph threshold for a tropical storm.
At 5 p.m. EDT, the depression was centered in the Caribbean Sea about 50 miles west of Cabo San Antonio
on the western tip of Cuba, forecasters said. It was moving north-northwest near 6 mph.
The hurricane center recommended tropical storm warnings for the Cuban provinces of Pinar Del Rio and
the Isle of Youth.
Over the next three days, the system is expected to move through the Yucatan Channel into the southeastern
Gulf of Mexico, then toward Florida where it could make landfall Monday or Tuesday somewhere between South Florida and the
western tip of the Panhandle, forecasters said.
The depression's outer rainbands stretched Saturday to the southern tip of Florida, and heavy rain was
forecast over the state's Gulf Coast and the Florida Keys through Monday.
State officials pleaded with residents to update their hurricane preparedness plans but most shrugged
at the news.
"The media overplays this, they get people very scared," said Tim Roberts, a Fort Lauderdale condo owner
who was visiting Tallahassee. "Sure, when the time comes to be alarmed, yes, but don't make more out of it until it's time."
Scientists predict the 2006 season could produce up to 16 named storms, six of them major hurricanes.
Last year's hurricane season was the busiest and most destructive in recorded history. Hurricane Katrina
alone devastated Louisiana and Mississippi and was blamed for more than 1,570 deaths in Louisiana alone.
Mike Martino lost his Navarre Beach home twice in the past two hurricane seasons - first to Hurricane
Ivan in 2004, and never got to move into a new home built on the same lot because Hurricane Dennis wiped it out in 2005. Instead
of rebuilding again, he moved to the mainland.
Martino, who rents kayaks, bikes and surfboards out of his store in Navarre Beach, worried that the weather
would do more economic damage than property damage.
"I know that we have weather coming, so I can't have weekly rentals, it's all going to have to be done
by the day," he said.
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the busiest in 154 years of storm tracking, with records set for
the number of named storms (28) and hurricanes (15). Forecasters used up their list of 21 proper names (beginning with Arlene
and ending with Wilma) and had to use the Greek alphabet to name storms for the first time.
Meteorologists have said the Atlantic is not as warm as it was at this time in 2005, meaning potential
storms would have less of the energy needed to develop into hurricanes.
Atlantic hurricane seasons were relatively mild from the 1970s through 1994. Since then, all but two
years have been above normal. Experts say the ocean is in the midst of a 20-year-cycle that will continue to bring strong
storms.
From 1995 to 2005, the Atlantic season averaged 15 named storms, just over eight named hurricanes and
four major hurricanes, according to the hurricane center. From 1971 to 1994, there were an average of 8.5 named storms, five
hurricanes and just over one major hurricane. The Atlantic hurricane season ends Nov. 30.
6/10/2006 18:28:33 EDT
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press
Hurricane Warning Issued for Alberto
Hurricane Warning Issued for Alberto
Tropical Storm Strengthens as It Approaches Florida
By PHIL DAVIS, AP
TAMPA, Florida (June 12) - Forecasters issued a hurricane warning for parts of Florida's Gulf Coast on
Monday as the first named storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season quickly gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico.
Tropical Storm Alberto, which formed Saturday as a tropical depression, is the first named storm of the
2006 hurricane season
The warning from Longboat Key near Sarasota to the Ochlockonee River south of Tallahassee means Tropical
Storm Alberto was expected to produce hurricane conditions within the next 24 hours.
A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Longboat Key to Englewood.
At 11 a.m., Alberto's winds had increased to 70 mph, up from 50 mph just three hours earlier. The storm
was centered about 190 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola and was moving north-northeast at about 7 mph, National Hurricane
Center forecasters said.
Alberto's core wasn't expected to reach Florida until Tuesday, but with tropical storm-force wind stretching
230 miles from the center, powerful gusts may be felt long before it makes landfall.
The storm's outer bands brought rain on the state Sunday, and forecasters warned that tornadoes were
possible in west-central and northwestern Florida Monday night.
Heavy rain from Alberto drenched Havana, Cuba, and Pinar del Rio province to the west throughout the
weekend, causing some minor street flooding. The official Prensa Latina news agency reported Monday a handful of old buildings
around Havana crumbled in the heavy rains, a common occurrence during even the weakest storms, but there were no immediate
reports of other major damage or injuries.
In Florida, 4 to 10 inches of rain could fall on the peninsula through Tuesday, forecasters said.
The prospect of a rain -- as long as it didn't come with hurricane-force wind -- was welcomed by firefighters
who have been battling wildfires for six weeks on Florida's Atlantic coast.
"A good soaking rain would do a lot to help stop the fires in our area," said Pat Kuehn, a spokeswoman
for Volusia County Fire Services. "It has been a hard fire season. We've had several fires a week here."
The tropical depression that produced Alberto formed Saturday, nine days after the official start of
the hurricane season, in the northwest Caribbean, which can produce typically weak storms that follow a similar track this
time of year, forecasters said. It became a named storm when its sustained winds reached 39 mph.
Scientists say the 2006 season could produce as many as 16 named storms, six of them major hurricanes.
Last year's hurricane season was the most destructive on record. Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana
and Mississippi and was blamed for more than 1,570 deaths among Louisiana residents alone.
It also was the busiest in 154 years of storm tracking, with a records 28 named storms and a record 15
hurricanes. Meteorologists used up their list of 21 proper names _ beginning with Arlene and ending with Wilma _ and had to
use the Greek alphabet to name storms for the first time.
The first named storm of 2005 was Tropical Storm Arlene, which formed June 9 and made landfall just west
of Pensacola in the Florida Panhandle.
Associated Press Writer Jennifer Kay in Miami contributed to this report.
6/12/2006 11:13:30
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press.
__________________
Hurricane Statement
HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055-060>062-065-121800-
HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1135 AM EDT MON JUN 12 2006
...TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO STRENGTHENING OVER THE EASTERN GULF...
...NEW INFORMATION...
TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO IS STRENGTHENING OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF
MEXICO...AND MAY BECOME A HURRICANE BEFORE LANDFALL. FOR THIS
REASON...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A
HURRICANE WARNING FROM LONGBOAT KEY TO OCHLOCKONEE RIVER. THE STORM
SURGE JUST TO THE RIGHT OF WHERE ALBERTO MAKES LANDFALL COULD REACH 8
TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE NORMAL TIDE.
AN INLAND HURRICANE WARNING HAS ALSO BEEN ISSUED FOR THE NON COASTAL
AREAS OF LEVY...CITRUS...AND HERNANDO COUNTIES.
AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NON
COASTAL AND NON TIDAL AREAS OF PASCO...HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...
MANATEE...POLK...AND SUMTER COUNTIES.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL AREAS OF LEE
AND CHARLOTTE COUNTIES.
THE FLOOD WATCH ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAS BEEN
EXTENDED THROUGH 2 PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO SOUTHWEST AND WEST
CENTRAL FLORIDA.
...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL AREAS FROM LONGBOAT KEY
THROUGH THE SUWANNEE RIVER...WHICH INCLUDES THE COUNTIES OF
MANATEE...HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...PASCO...HERNANDO...
CITRUS AND LEVY.
AN INLAND HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR NON COASTAL AND NON
TIDAL LEVY...CITRUS...AND HERNANDO COUNTIES.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM ENGLEWOOD TO
LONGBOAT KEY...WHICH INCLUDES THE COASTAL AREAS OF SARASOTA
COUNTY.
AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NON COASTAL
AND NON TIDAL LOCATIONS OF PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...SUMTER...
AND PASCO COUNTIES.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL AREAS OF LEE
AND CHARLOTTE COUNTIES.
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM FOR CITRUS...SUMTER...
HERNANDO...PASCO...PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...MANATEE...
SARASOTA...HARDEE...DESOTO...HIGHLANDS...CHARLOTTE...AND LEE
COUNTIES.
A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR LEE...
CHARLOTTE...SARASOTA...DESOTO...HARDEE...HIGHLANDS...MANATEE...
PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...PASCO...HERNANDO...CITRUS...LEVY
AND SUMTER COUNTIES.
...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 11 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.9 WEST...OR ABOUT 215 MILES
WEST SOUTHWEST OF TAMPA...OR 220 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CEDAR KEY.
ALBERTO WAS MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 7 MPH...AND THIS GENERAL
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
...WINDS...
BRIEF THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH
TODAY AS THE RAIN BANDS FROM ALBERTO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. COASTAL
AREAS COULD SEE SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS BY LATE THIS
EVENING. THE BEST CHANCE FOR INLAND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL
BE ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 4 BY TUESDAY MORNING. HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE COASTAL AREAS
OF HERNANDO...CITRUS...AND LEVY COUNTIES.
...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
TIDES WILL BE 1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH TODAY. THE HIGH TIDE
ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON COMBINED WITH THE SURGE FROM ALBERTO COULD CAUSE
COASTAL FLOODING FROM TAMPA BAY NORTH THROUGH CEDAR KEY. THE STORM
SURGE JUST TO THE RIGHT OF WHERE ALBERTO MAKES LANDFALL COULD REACH
8 TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE NORMAL TIDE.
...INLAND FLOODING...
TOTAL RAIN FALL THROUGH TUESDAY WILL BE 4 TO 8 INCHES. RECENT DRY
CONDITIONS WILL ALLOW THE GROUND TO ABSORB A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
RAINFALL. HOWEVER...HEAVY BURSTS OF RAIN MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF
STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS.
...TORNADOES...
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE OUTER RAIN BANDS OF TROPICAL
STORM ALBERTO THROUGH TONIGHT.
...BEACH EROSION...
SWELLS FROM ALBERTO WILL CAUSE BREAKING WAVES OF 4 TO 7 FEET THROUGH
TONIGHT. ONSHORE WINDS WILL DEVELOP TUESDAY WITH HIGH SURF AND MINOR
BEACH EROSION EXPECTED. RIP CURRENTS WILL BE A THREAT THROUGH
TUESDAY.
...NEXT STATEMENT...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN RUSKIN WILL BE ISSUED BY 130 PM THIS AFTERNOON OR SOONER IF
CONDITIONS WARRANT.
ALBERTO FIZZES
June 13, 2006 -- Alberto moves into southern Georgia
At
5 PM EDT the tropical storm warning for the Gulf Coast of Florida is discontinued. A tropical storm warning remains in effect
for the Atlantic coast from Flagler Beach Florida northward to South Santee River South Carolina. Gale warnings are also in
effect for the remainder of the South Carolina coast northward through portions of the North Carolina coast.
At 500
PM EDT...2100z...the center of Tropical Storm Alberto was located near latitude 30.7 north...longitude 83.2 west or very near
Valdosta Georgia. Alberto is moving toward the northeast near 10 mph...17 km/hr...and this general direction of motion...with
some increase in forward speed...is expected during the next 24 hours. On this track the center will continue to move over
Georgia this evening and tonight and move into South Carolina Wednesday morning. Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph...65
km/hr...with higher gusts...in a few squalls. Weakening is forecast...and Alberto will likely become a tropical depression
tonight. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles...280 km to the northeast and southeast of the center.
Estimated minimum central pressure is 1000 Mb...29.53 inches.
A storm surge of 2 to 3 feet above normal tide levels
is possible along the Atlantic Coast in the warned area.
Storm total rainfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches...with isolated
maximum amounts to 8 inches...are possible into Wednesday evening over the southeastern half of Georgia...much of North and
South Carolina except for the western parts of those states...and into extreme southeastern Virginia. Additional rainfall
amounts of 2 to 4 inches are also possible over the northern and central Florida Peninsula.
Isolated tornadoes are
possible over southeastern Georgia and coastal South Carolina tonight.
Tropical Storm ALBERTO Public Advisory
000 WTNT31 KNHC 140238 TCPAT1 BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO ADVISORY NUMBER 16 NWS TPC/NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL012006 1100 PM EDT TUE JUN 13 2006
...ALBERTO MOVING FASTER TOWARD THE NORTHEAST... ...WIND
DAMAGE REPORTED IN THE SAVANNAH GEORGIA AREA...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER
SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTHWARD TO NORTH OF ALTAMAHA SOUND GEORGIA.
GALE WARNINGS ARE ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF
THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST NORTHWARD THROUGH PORTIONS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST.
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO
YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
AT
1100 PM EDT...0300Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 31.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.3 WEST OR ABOUT
55 MILES...90 KM...SOUTHWEST OF STATESBORO GEORGIA... OR ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN ALMA AND VIDALIA GEORGIA.
ALBERTO IS
MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 16 MPH...26 KM/HR. THIS GENERAL DIRECTION OF MOTION...WITH A GRADUAL INCREASE IN FORWARD
SPEED...IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OVER SOUTHEASTERN GEORGIA TONIGHT
AND EARLY WEDNESDAY... AND MOVE ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA LOW COUNTRY DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS
ARE NEAR 40 MPH...65 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS IN A FEW SQUALLS ALONG AND JUST OFFSHORE THE GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA COASTS.
SOME WEAKENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS... AND ALBERTO COULD BECOME A DEPRESSION BEFORE IT MERGES WITH A FRONTAL
SYSTEM DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY AND BECOMES AN NON-TROPICAL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND
OUTWARD UP TO 150 MILES...240 KM ...TO THE NORTHEAST AND EATS OF THE CENTER. RECENTLY...A WIND GUST TO 46 MPH WAS REPORTED
AT THE SAVANNAH GEORGIA AIRPORT AND A GUST TO 42 MPH WAS REPORTED IN DOWNTOWN SAVANNAH. DURING THE PAST HOUR... NUMEROUS REPORTS
OF DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER LINES IN THE SAVANNAH AREA HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE
IS 1002 MB...29.59 INCHES.
A STORM SURGE OF 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS POSSIBLE ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA
AND NORTH CAROLINA COASTS.
STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS TO 8 INCHES...ARE
POSSIBLE INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF GEORGIA...MUCH OF NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA EXCEPT FOR THE WESTERN
PARTS OF THOSE STATES...AND INTO EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA.
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER COASTAL
SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.
REPEATING THE 1100 PM EDT POSITION...31.8 N...82.3
W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHEAST NEAR 16 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...40 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1002
MB.
AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 200 AM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE
ADVISORY AT 500 AM EDT.
Heavy rain, tornadoes a concern as storm moves north
Tuesday, June 13, 2006; Posted: 9:25 p.m. EDT (01:25 GMT)
STEINHATCHEE, Florida (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Alberto blew across south
Georgia on Tuesday evening with winds of 40 mph as it made its way to South Carolina, leaving heavy rains in its wake but
only a portion of the havoc that coastal residents had expected.
Barely maintaining its tropical storm status -- the threshold for which is sustained winds of 39 mph
-- Alberto was moving northeast toward Alma, Georgia, at about 14 mph as of 8 p.m., according to the National Hurricane Center.
Alma is about 100 miles north of Jacksonville, Florida.
As it closed within 110 miles of South Carolina's southern border, the hurricane center canceled a
tropical storm warning for the Atlantic coast from Flagler Beach, Florida, to Altamaha Sound, Georgia. A warning for Florida's
Gulf Coast had been canceled earlier in the day.
A warning remained in effect from Altamaha Sound to South Santee River, South Carolina, however.
The storm made landfall around midday Tuesday near Adams Beach, Florida, about 50 miles south of Tallahassee.
By 2 p.m., top winds haddropped to 40 mph, the hurricane center said.
The storm was expected to weaken to a tropical depression later Tuesday, but the threat of heavy rain
and tornadoes remains a concern, forecasters said.
The surge
Shannon Holcombe, who has lived in Crystal River, about 160 miles southeast of Tallahassee, for 13
years, said the wind and rain posed little threat. But, she said, storm surges caused some problems Tuesday, especially for
her neighbors whose homes are not elevated.
"After high tide, normally you expect it to go back out. It didn't go back out," Holcombe said.
About 45 minutes after the second high tide on Tuesday, water that was covering her dock moved 150
feet inland to her home, Holcombe said. The surge forced two armadillos to take refuge on her neighbor's front deck.
"It's receded a little bit. It's no longer in my garage," she said Tuesday evening, "but I'm still
an island."
Though Alberto hasn't wrought the destruction that hurricanes Katrina or Rita delivered to the Gulf
Coast last year, Holcombe said it was still a frightening debut to the 2006 hurricane season.
"It's scary because it's only the second week in June," she said.
State meteorologist Ben Nelson said that Alberto drove a 4- to 5-foot storm surge ashore in Levy and
Dixie counties, 120 miles southeast of Tallahassee, in the state's marshy Big Bend region. The storm was expected to dump
6 inches of rain inland.
Power was out for an estimated 11,000 electricity customers across 32 counties after the storm, the
state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee reported. (Shelter locations)
Nelson warned Floridians to stay indoors and to be especially careful of downed power lines and rough
surf.
"There's no need for anyone to lose their life to a tropical storm like this," Nelson said.
Gov. Jeb Bush issued a mandatory evacuation order for the low-lying counties of Dixie, Levy, Taylor,
Citrus, Franklin and Wakulla, which are in the storm's path. (Full story)
Silver lining
Officials credited the heavy rain with helping to extinguish wildfires that plagued Florida for more
than six weeks.
"The rainfall's been largely beneficial, because we've had breaks in between the rain bands," said
Florida state meteorologist Ben Nelson.
At 8 a.m. Tuesday, 168 wildfires were burning across the state. Of those, three were declared officially
out an hour later, said Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson.
"Hopefully, this rainfall is going to put out a lot of fires from central Florida up through northeast
Florida," Bronson said.
Tropical force winds extended up to 145 miles from the center of the storm, mainly over water, the
hurricane center said. (Projected path)
Alberto could dump 4 to 8 inches of rain over North Florida and South Georgia,a hurricane center
advisory said.
