Tropical Storm Alberto (1994)
| Tropical storm (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Satellite image of Alberto near landfall
|
|
| Formed | June 30, 1994 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | July 7, 1994 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 65 mph (100 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 993 mbar (hPa); 29.32 inHg |
| Fatalities | 32 direct |
| Damage | $1 billion (1994 USD) |
| Areas affected | Florida Panhandle, Alabama, Georgia |
| Part of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Tropical Storm Alberto was the costliest storm of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm was the first named storm of the season. It hit Florida across the Southeast United States in July, causing a massive flooding disaster while stalling over Georgia and Alabama. Alberto caused $1 billion in damage (1994 USD) and 30 deaths.
A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on June 18. It moved westward across the dry, shear-ridden Atlantic Ocean, and remained weak until passing through the Greater Antilles. Deep convection developed over the wave in response to light vertical shear and warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, and organized into Tropical Depression One near the Isle of Youth on June 30. A trough of low pressure brought the depression to the northwest over the Gulf of Mexico, remaining weak due to increased upper level shear. The shear abated, allowing the depression to strengthen into Tropical Storm Alberto on July 2.
Alberto continued to the north-northeast in response to a short wave trough, and steadily strengthened as the convection became embedded around the center. Tropical Storm Alberto peaked with maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) just as it was making landfall near Destin, Florida. The storm would have likely attained hurricane status had it been over water just hours longer, as a warm spot was apparent, indicating the formation of an eye feature. Alberto quickly weakened to a tropical depression over Alabama as it continued to the northeast, but retained a well-organized circulation. High pressures build to its north and east, causing the remnant tropical depression to stall over northwestern Georgia. It turned to a west drift, and dissipated over central Alabama on July 7.
On June 30, on the day of Alberto's formation, a tropical storm warning was issued from Puerto Juárez to Mérida, Mexico; the warning was discontinued on July 1. In the United States, a tropical storm watch was posted on July 2 for locations between Sabine Pass, Texas and Pensacola, Florida. The watch was subsequently upgraded to a tropical storm warning from Gulfport, Mississippi to Cedar Key, Florida; it was soon altered to a hurricane warning. Later on July 3, the hurricane warning was discontinued and replaced with a tropical storm warning, which was lifted at 2100 UTC.
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