(LOOTPRESS) – The first tropical storm of the season, Alberto, has formed.
Tropical Storm Alberto has developed in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, marking the first named storm of what is expected to be an active hurricane season.
As of this report, Tropical Storm Alberto was 185 miles east of Tampico, Mexico, and 295 miles south-southeast of Brownsville, Texas, with sustained winds of 40 mph. The storm is currently moving west at a speed of 9 mph.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average hurricane season, forecasting between 17 and 25 named storms, with as many as 13 hurricanes and four major hurricanes.
This surpasses the average of 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes in a typical Atlantic hurricane season.
Earlier this month, a nameless storm brought over 20 inches of rain to parts of South Florida, causing flooding and stranding drivers on waterlogged streets.