Alberto fades out over Mexico. Florida could feel rain from approaching disturbance
Tropical Storm Alberto weakened into a tropical depression Thursday morning as it moved inland over Mexico, after drenching Texas and Mexico’s coasts with storm surge and rain on Wednesday.
The first named storm of the season is expected to dissipate over the next day or so as it heads west.
Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center upgraded the chances of formation for two disturbances it’s tracking — including one near Florida. Neither appear to be a serious threat to the state.
The first disturbance, located about 150 miles east of the northernmost Bahamas, has a 40% chance of strengthening into a tropical depression in the next two days, as of the 2 p.m. Thursday update.
While the hurricane center still gave it a “marginal” chance of development in the next few days, it is expected to bring a little extra rain to Florida on Friday when it is nearest to the east coast, before moving north.
The National Weather Service’s Miami office predicts about a quarter inch of rain could call on South Florida Friday afternoon, with slightly higher amounts where thunderstorms are most concentrated. The northeast part of the state, near Jacksonville, could see two or more inches as the disturbance passes.
The other disturbance the hurricane center is tracking is south of the Yucatan peninsular, and it looks like anything that forms there could follow a similar path to Tropical Storm Alberto over the next few days.
As of 2 p.m., the hurricane center gave the disturbance a 50% chance of strengthening into a tropical depression by this weekend as it moves northwest.
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