Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season, developed Sunday from a poorly organized tropical depression in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, forecasters said.
The storm had maximum sustained winds near 45 mph up 10 mph from early in the morning and was expected to strengthen, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Alberto was located about 400 miles west of Key West and about 445 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola, and moving northwest near 9 mph, forecasters said.
A depression formed early Saturday, nine days after the official start of the season, but 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.
Up to eight inches of rain could fall over the Florida Keys and the state's Gulf Coast before the storm nears land. The Miami Hurricane Center also says parts of Cuba could get 30 inches of rain.
The hurricane center recommended tropical storm warnings for the Cuban provinces of Pinar Del Rio and the Isle of Youth.
Over the next two 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 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.
Are we ready for another hurrican season. i am not so sure we can hadle another one like last year. Lets just pray it isnot as bad as last year
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Global warming is making it worse.