Greatest Hits of Alberto
The government reports early this afternoon:
The map below was saved from our AccuWeather.com RadarPlus service at about the same time. The Infrared satellite map has a pressure gradient (blue=low) overlaid on top of it, then the radar picture is displayed.
I have uploaded some radar loops, local Doppler-estimated precip maps, and landfall animations for you to peruse.
Alberto's effects so far have been limited (for a strong Tropical Storm). I've never seen so many disappointed TV reporters on-air. Here is a graphic that we created to show some of the effects:
There has been some minor storm surge, and USAToday has some video of it.
There were 4 tornado reports issued, but one was a duplicate.
Here are the wind gusts which were reported over 50 mph:
WD4FU (Gainsville) @ 150 Feet: 102 mph*
Tampa, FL: 60 mph
Saint Petersburg Airport, FL: 51 mph
*This reading came from an amateur station and has not been officially confirmed. It seemed high compared to nearby readings (for example this station one-half of a mile away which had a gust of 31 mph) but the graph showed consistent high winds. In talking to the owner of the station, he says that the readings are probably accurate but the sensor is located much higher than the official government height of 30 feet, more along the lines of 150 feet. There may also be some turbulence on the roof, the owner notes.
**Not listed in official observations for the MCF airport, but quoted in this article.
If one believes the Doppler-Estimated precipitation totals, more than 20 inches of rain has fallen off the western coast of Florida, with over 10 inches on land. The image below is a 7-day precipitation total ending this morning (there wasn't much precip other than Alberto).
This was the most severe AP Photo I could find, which gives you an idea of how powerful the storm was, and in what a remote area its illest effects were felt.
A pickup truck pulls a young boy in a small boat through a flooded street in Crystal River, Fla., Tuesday morning June 13, 2006. Storm surge from the effects of Tropical Storm Alberto flooded some of the low lying areas of Citrus County. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
As the storm moves northeastward, eastern Georgia and the Carolinas will have a shot at flooding. If the center of circulation emerges over water, Alberto could strengthen again. The models are keeping it right along the coast through Cape Hatteras so it will be a close call.
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