Tropical Storm Alberto Becomes 1st Named Storm of the Year, To Affect Texas and Mexico

The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season is now officially underway as the first named storm of the year, Tropical Storm Alberto, has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to affect Mexico and Texas. Meteorologists are now monitoring the storm and have placed tropical storm warnings on areas that the Alberto is expected to hit.

According to AccuWeather, activity has increased in the Atlantic as "warm waters across portions of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico have helped to promote prime conditions for tropical development this week."

Mexico is directly in the path of Tropical Storm Alberto's eye, but nearby Texas is also expected to get a taste of the storm's wrath. It is expected to make landfall in northeastern Mexico early Thursday morning, with the most affected areas being the Texas Gulf Coast and the northeastern coast of Mexico. Meteorologists have warned that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within 36 hours.

"Abnormally warm waters and a pocket of relatively low wind shear located in the Bay of Campeche allowed for Alberto to gain enough organization on Wednesday to be upgraded to tropical storm status," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist and Lead Hurricane Forecaster Alex DaSilva.

Usually, the first named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane Season forms around June 20. Tropical Storm Alberto became a tropical storm around June 19, which means that this season is progressing right on schedule.

What Is Tropical Storm Alberto Expected to Bring to Texas and Mexico?

As Tropical Storm Alberto approaches land, areas around the gulf coasts of Texas and Mexico are expected to receive rain and a lot of it, together with some strong winds and maybe even some flooding.

The Weather Channel stated that Texas can expect some "Flooding rain, coastal flooding, gusty winds, high surf, rip currents, and isolated tornadoes." Meanwhile, Mexico is also expected to experience the same but with the added danger of mudslides.

T​ropical Storm Alberto may strengthen slightly before it makes landfall, and its impact will extend far from the center. The storm is expected to continue moving westward with winds of 39 miles per hour (mph) or greater in the warning areas, which include Brownsville and Corpus Christi.

Heavy rains are expected along the Rio Grande and the Big Bend region, with rains expected to reach areas such as Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. So far, no hurricane warning has been issued.

Tropical Storm Alberto May Bring Flooding To Parts of Mexico

As for Mexico, several governors whose states are on the storm's paths are already bracing themselves as the heavy rains could bring in mudslides and flash flooding. The most affected states may be Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon.

Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal has announced on X that schools across the state will remain closed between Wednesday and Friday, while Tamaulipas Civil Protection Coordinator Luis Gerardo Gonzalez announced that they have 333 shelters distributed throughout the state at each municipality and they will open upa more shelters as the hurricane moves.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Tropical Storm Alberto, first named storm of the 2024 hurricane season, forms in Gulf of Mexico - WPBF 25 News