Tropical Storm Alberto builds over Gulf of Mexico, brings flooding By Reuters
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Tropical Storm Alberto, the first to be named a 2024 Atlantic hurricane, has formed in the western Gulf of Mexico, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Wednesday, causing flooding along the southern US coast.
The storm is located 300 kilometers east of Tampico, Mexico, with sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph), the Miami-based forecaster said. Alberto is likely to disperse over Mexico starting Thursday night.
The NHC said the storm is very severe and that rain, coastal flooding and strong winds could occur as far away as northeastern Mexico and along the southern Texas coast.
Heavy rains will also affect large parts of Central America, the NHC warned, a region still reeling from heavy rains that left at least 11 people dead in El Salvador over the weekend, due to landslides and road accidents.
“Life-threatening floods and mudslides are possible in the highlands and in the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas,” the NHC said, including the eastern city of Ciudad Victoria and Monterrey, Mexico’s third-largest city in Nuevo Leon state. .
The governor of Nuevo Leon state, Samuel Garcia, said in X that people should avoid leaving the house or crossing waterways when it rains and keep emergency services nearby. Crews were on standby to deal with possible impacts to the power grid, water and sewage caused by the strong winds and rains, he said.
In the state of Tamaulipas, which borders the Gulf coast, videos shared on social media showed ominous gray skies, while in the United States as far as Louisiana videos showed coastal towns flooded and water hitting sea walls.
Across the Gulf on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, local news reported strong winds and heavy rains. Other authorities, however, said the storm could help fill the country’s reservoirs, which have been depleted by a prolonged drought.
The NHC has forecast “moderate coastal flooding” along the Texan coast through Thursday as areas south experience tropical storm conditions.
Forecasters have warned that this year’s Atlantic hurricane season will likely be more active due to the influence of the La Nina weather pattern and warmer ocean waters.
