A rainstorm off the coast of Mexico became Tropical Storm Alberto on Wednesday, the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
While the storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour, the main concern was rainfall of a foot or more predicted for parts of Texas and Mexico.
Tropical storm warnings were issued for coastal areas of Texas and northeastern Mexico.
The storm was in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and was headed west toward northeastern Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center. Forecasters predicted Alberto could make landfall early Thursday, most likely in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, but its effects were expected to extend far beyond that.
In addition to the rain, east-to-northeast winds are expected to gradually strengthen over the next couple of days. Although wind is not the most significant concern with this system, the wind field is expansive and widespread tropical-storm-force winds are expected to extend north from the center of the storm.
With persistent onshore winds, there is a threat of moderate coastal flooding and a storm surge of one to four feet. Another threat is rip currents, which are expected along Gulf Coast beaches in the coming days.
Why this season is expected to be busy
Forecasters have warned that the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could be much more active than usual.
In late May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted 17 to 25 named storms this year, an “above-normal” amount and a prediction in line with more than a dozen forecasts earlier in the year from experts at universities, private companies and government agencies. A typical hurricane season produces 14 named storms.
The seasonal hurricane outlooks were notably aggressive because forecasters looking at the start of the season saw a combination of circumstances that didn’t exist in records dating back to the mid-1800s: record warm water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, and the potential formation of the weather pattern known as La Niña.
.
La Niña occurs in the Pacific because of changing ocean temperatures and affects weather patterns globally. When it is strong, it typically provides a calm environment in the Atlantic; this allows storms to more easily develop and strengthen without interference from wind patterns that might otherwise keep them from organizing.
John Keefe contributed reporting.
