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Alberto: Tropical storm sees thousands flee Florida coast Alberto, year's first named Atlantic storm, makes Florida landfall
(about 1 hour later)
Thousands have been evacuated from the northern Gulf of Mexico coast of Florida as it braces for subtropical storm Alberto. Subtropical storm Alberto, the first named Atlantic storm of 2018, has made landfall on Florida's north-western coast.
Anticipated to make landfall on Monday, Alberto is the first storm ahead of this year's Atlantic hurricane season, which formally starts on 1 June. Alberto passed the coast at Laguna Beach with maximum sustained winds of 45mph (72km/h), US meteorologists say.
It will bring heavy rain and winds of 80km/h (50mph) across southern states, the US National Hurricane Center said. Thousands of people were earlier evacuated from the Gulf of Mexico coast of Florida.
At 18:00 GMT it was about 30km south of Florida's Panama City. The storm is expected to weaken as it moves further inland. The hurricane season formally starts on 1 June.
The storm was moving north at about 8mph (13km/h), the National Hurricane Center said. Alberto is moving northwards at about 9mph, the National Hurricane Center says.
Many of the northern Florida panhandle's beaches were empty of the crowds typical for Memorial Day. Many of the northern Florida panhandle's beaches were empty of the crowds typical for Memorial Day - a holiday across the US to remember those who died serving in the country's armed forces.
Alberto had picked up strength as it headed north through the Gulf of Mexico, bringing with it the warning of life-threatening inundation, said the Miami-based NHC. Alberto is forecast to drop as much as 30cm (12in) of rain across Mississippi to western Georgia and to bring storm swells of about 60-120cm (2-4ft) to low-lying areas.
It is forecast to drop as much as 30cm (12in) of rain across Mississippi to western Georgia and to bring storm swells of about 60-120cm (2-4ft) to low-lying areas.
Some tornadoes could also be touched off.Some tornadoes could also be touched off.
Alberto is expected to affect travel on Monday, when many people will return from their holidays.
Alberto will steadily weaken once it travels inland.
It is the first named storm of the season, with 21 other names still to be used, including Beryl, Ernesto, Kirk, Nadine and Rafael.It is the first named storm of the season, with 21 other names still to be used, including Beryl, Ernesto, Kirk, Nadine and Rafael.
Last year, a number of deadly hurricanes hit the US and Caribbean. Puerto Rico, for example, is still struggling with its recovery efforts following major infrastructure damage from Hurricane Maria in October. Last year, a number of deadly hurricanes hit the US and Caribbean.
Puerto Rico, for example, is still struggling with its recovery efforts following major infrastructure damage from Hurricane Maria in October.