Alberto — 2024

Alberto formed in the Bay of Campeche and became a tropical storm at 1200 UTC on 19 June 2024 about 205 nautical miles east of Tampico, Mexico. The storm was short-lived, moving westward across the southwestern Gulf of Mexico and accelerating before making landfall near Tampico around 0900 UTC on 20 June. Alberto weakened quickly over the high terrain of Mexico and dissipated by 1800 UTC on 20 June. Alberto made a single official landfall near Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico at about 0900 UTC on 20 June while a tropical storm. Although the center struck near Tampico, the storm’s very large wind field produced wind, surge, and rainfall impacts along much of the western Gulf Coast of Mexico and the U.S. Texas coast in the days around 19–20 June. The storm’s peak intensity was estimated at 45 kt (about 52 mph) with a minimum central pressure of 992 mb, corresponding to a moderate tropical storm at its strongest (0000–0900 UTC 20 June). Aircraft, scatterometer, and buoy data supported the 45 kt peak wind estimate. Storm surge and rainfall were widespread. Along the Texas coast, tide gauges measured inundation of about 2–4 feet above ground level at many locations: maximum observed water level was 4.04 ft above Mean Higher High Water at San Luis Pass, Texas; Nueces Bay recorded 3.82 ft above MHHW; Port Lavaca about 3.45 ft above MHHW; and several sites near Corpus Christi and Galveston recorded storm tides near or above 3 ft MHHW. Heavy rain fell from Rockport to Corpus Christi, with the highest U.S. total 10.50 inches in Lamar, Texas. In Mexico, very heavy totals were reported in Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, and southeastern Coahuila, with El Cerrito, Nuevo León recording 26.50 inches overall and 23.62 inches in a 24-hour period ending 1200 UTC 20 June. Alberto resulted in fatalities and significant damage. Official counts attribute five deaths in Mexico (one direct drowning, three indirect electrocutions, and one additional death of unknown cause) and one direct death in the United States (a 17‑year‑old who drowned in a rip current near Galveston). Estimated economic losses were about $125 million in the U.S. (mostly Texas) and about $140 million in Mexico. Reported impacts include destroyed piers and washed-out roads on Padre Island, flooded properties and rescues in Corpus Christi’s North Beach, erosion and dune loss along Texas beaches, and flooding and wind damage in northeast Mexico. Noteworthy items: forecasters anticipated the system’s development well in advance, issuing a Potential Tropical Cyclone advisory on 17 June and raising genesis probabilities in subsequent outlooks. Track forecast errors were larger than the recent 5-year average at short lead times, but intensity forecasts were generally better than the recent average. No formal NHC storm surge watches or warnings were issued, though local National Weather Service offices issued coastal flood messaging because the storm’s extensive wind field produced elevated water levels along much of the western Gulf coast.