Tropical Storm Alberto Hits Texas and Mexico

Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, made its presence felt as it brought intense rain and coastal flooding to parts of Texas and northeastern Mexico on Wednesday. The storm was hours away from making landfall, causing officials in both regions to take precautionary measures.

Precautionary Measures and Impacts

In Mexico, authorities closely monitored the levels of dams, rivers, and streams while also working on cleaning drainage points to mitigate potential flooding risks. Meanwhile, in Texas, officials issued warnings about flooded roads in the Houston area as the storm approached.

The coastal cities, such as Surfside Beach, about 40 miles south of Galveston, experienced rising tides, prompting the closure of the beach and urging visitors to stay away. The National Hurricane Center highlighted Alberto’s large size, with tropical-force winds spanning approximately 415 miles north of its center in the Gulf of Mexico.

Key Details:

• Alberto had maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour.
• Forecasters predicted rainfall of over a foot in parts of Texas and Mexico.
• Tropical storm warnings were in effect for coastal areas on both sides of the border.

Alberto was projected to make landfall near the Mexican city of Tampico early Thursday, though its impacts were expected to be widespread beyond that point. Mayor Gregg Bisso of Surfside Beach noted that while the flooding was gradually receding by Wednesday evening, the city remained prepared for potential intensification, drawing on their experience from the damage caused by Hurricane Nicholas in 2021.