surfer makes his way out into the water as a subtropical approaches on Monday, May 28, 2018, in Pensacola, Fla. The storm gained the early jump on the 2018 hurricane season as it headed toward anticipated landfall sometime Monday on the northern Gulf Coast, where white sandy beaches emptied of their usual Memorial Day crowds.
Subtropical Storm Alberto’s pelting rain and brisk winds rain roiled the seas as it neared the US Gulf Coast, yesterday, keeping white sandy beaches emptied of their usual Memorial Day crowds.
Forecasters warned of life-threatening surf conditions as Alberto approached expected landfall along the Florida Panhandle. A few brief tornadoes were possible in much of Florida and parts of Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. But forecasters said flash flooding from heavy rain was the biggest threat for most areas.
The National Hurricane Centre in Miami said at 2:00 pm yesterday hat Alberto was centred about 30 miles (50 kilometres) south-southwest of Panama City, Florida. Landfall was expected later Monday.
The storm had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving north at 8 mph (13 kph). However, once Alberto’s centre heads inland — deprived of the warm waters that fuel tropical weather systems — the storm was expected to steadily weaken. A subtropical storm like Alberto has a less defined and cooler center than a tropical storm, and its strongest winds are found farther from its centre.
Rough conditions were whipping up big waves off the eastern and northern Gulf Coast region, and officials warned swimmers to stay out of the surf through Tuesday due to life-threatening swells and rip currents. The hurricane centre said a tropical storm warning was in effect from the Suwannee River in Florida to the Alabama-Florida state line.
Between four and eight inches (10-25 centimetres) of rain could pummel Florida Panhandle, eastern and central Alabama, and western Georgia before the storm moves on. Isolated deluges of 12 inches (30 centimetres) were possible. Several inches (centimetres) were also possible from Tennessee east through the Carolinas.
Lifeguards posted red flags along the white sands of Pensacola Beach, where swimming and wading were banned.
Some tourists said the rainy weather would not dampen their vacations.
Jason Powell said he was seeking to keep his children entertained until Alberto blows through his Florida Panhandle vacation spot.
“So far we’ve seen a lot of wind and the ocean is really high, covering up the entire beach,” Powell said, adding, “we’re not letting it ruin our vacation… we’re going to watch some movies inside and a little TV, and hopefully maybe even get into the pool” despite the rain.
Janet Rhumes said her group of friends from Kansas had been planning their Memorial Day weekend on Navarre Beach since October and no tropical storm could deter them. They stocked up on groceries and planned to play card games.
“We’ve never seen one before and we’re here celebrating a friend’s 20th birthday,” Rhumes told the Northwest Florida Daily News. “So how often can you say you rode a storm out?”