Storm Alberto maintains strength as it approaches Gulf Coast

MIAMI BEACH, Florida (AP):

Subtropical Storm Alberto's gusty rain and brisk winds roiled the seas off the US Gulf Coast yesterday, keeping white sandy beaches emptied of their usual Memorial Day crowds.

Forecasters warned of life-threatening surf conditions as Alberto approached the Florida Panhandle, where it was expected to make landfall later in the day. A few brief tornadoes were possible in much of Florida and parts of Georgia, South Carolina,. and Alabama. But forecasters said flash flooding from heavy rain was the biggest risk in many areas.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 2 p.m. EDT yesterday that Alberto was centred about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south-southwest of Panama City, Florida. The storm was expected to make landfall later in the day.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving north at 8mph (13kph). However, once Alberto is inland and deprived of the warm waters that fuel tropical weather systems, the storm was expected to steadily weaken. A subtropical storm like Alberto has a less-defined and cooler centre than a tropical storm, and its strongest winds are found farther from its centre. Subtropical storms can develop into tropical storms, which, in turn, can strengthen into hurricanes.