(Reuters) - Florida and Mississippi on Saturday declared states of emergency as Subtropical Storm Alberto moves north toward the U.S. Gulf Coast, threatening to bring heavy rainfall and flooding by Monday.

All 67 Florida counties were issued the notice to give state and local governments enough time and resources to prepare, Florida Governor Rick Scott said in a statement.

“As we continue to monitor Subtropical Storm Alberto’s northward path toward Florida, it is critically important that all Florida counties have every available resource to keep families safe and prepare for the torrential rain and severe flooding this storm will bring,” Scott said.

His Mississippi counterpart, Phil Bryant, also declared a state of emergency. In a statement, Bryant said coastal and inland flooding could be a serious issue in the coming days.

“Whether you’re a resident of this state or just visiting, you need to stay updated on this evolving tropical system,” Bryant said. “I ask everyone to please make final preparations to your family emergency plan, especially those that live in mobile homes and low-lying areas.”

The storm is expected to approach the U.S. northern Gulf Coast on the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. A tropical storm watch is in place from the New Orleans area to the Aucilla River in the Florida panhandle.

Alberto, the first named storm of the 2018 hurricane season, was moving north near 10 miles (16 km) per hour with maximum sustained winds near 40 miles per hour with higher gusts on Saturday, the NWS said. Gradual strengthening is forecast until the system reaches the northern Gulf Coast by Monday night.

Heavy rains from the slow-moving storm were expected between 5 to 10 inches (13-25 cm), with up to 15 inches possible along from eastern Louisiana, across much of Mississippi, Alabama, western Tennessee and the western Florida panhandle, the NWS said.

Alberto’s projected storm track has shifted eastward since Friday, lessening its threat to the active oil production areas in the Gulf of Mexico. Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDSa.L) and Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) had evacuated some personnel from offshore Gulf oil facilities on Friday.

On Saturday evening, the storm was last located about 95 miles (153 km) north of the western tip of Cuba and 275 miles (440 km) southwest of the Dry Tortugas, which is almost 70 miles (113 km) west of Key West, Florida, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). </s> LAGUNA BEACH, Fla. — A weakened subtropical Storm Alberto made landfall Monday afternoon in the Florida Panhandle, threatening the Southeast with flooding as it is expected to spread moisture across the region into the middle of the week.

The storm’s winds continued to slow down throughout Monday, reaching maximum sustained winds of 45 mph as it made landfall in Laguna Beach, west of Panama City on the northern Gulf Coast, according to the National Hurricane Center. Alberto was moving north at 9 mph.

Alberto intensified rainfall throughout the Southeast. In Polk County, North Carolina, news anchor Mike McCormick and photojournalist Aaron Smeltzer, of Greenville, South Carolina-based CNN affiliate WYFF, were killed Monday in a weather-related incident when a tree fell on their SUV as they covered a story about the rain, the station said.

Storm Alberto also disrupted Memorial Day plans in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi as it moved into the Southeast.

There was no significant damage or injury related to Alberto in Bay County, Florida, and only a few power outages, said Valerie Sale of the Office of Emergency Management.

Instagram user Melody Kay Carroll posted a video clip of wind and rain in a Panama City parking deck. “Strong squalls off and on” had kept her inside, she said.

The heaviest rain bands and strongest winds began coming ashore around 10 a.m. Monday in Panama City Beach.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the northern Gulf Coast from the Aucilla River to the Alabama-Florida border, the National Hurricane Center said in its 5 p.m. ET update.

The three states likely to bear the brunt of the storm have been preparing states of emergency.

Click here to track the storm

Florida Gov. Rick Scott issued a declaration for all 67 counties in his state. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant authorized the use of the National Guard, his office said.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency for 40 counties, starting at 6 a.m. Sunday. Ivey activated the state’s emergency operations center while the Alabama National Guard activated its high water evacuation teams.

The storm’s center is expected to move over Alabama on Monday night and Tuesday, the NHC said. The forecast projects the system moving over the Tennessee Valley on Tuesday and into the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region on Wednesday and Thursday, the center said.

Flooding and flash flooding are possible in the Southeast, including Florida, the NHC said in its latest update.

Alberto could bring isolated storm totals up to 12 inches in areas of the Florida Panhandle into much of Alabama and western Georgia through Tuesday, the NHC said. The Florida Keys and Florida peninsula could receive up to 5 inches of rain in some areas.

“Heavy rainfall will lead to a significant risk of flash flooding across the Florida Panhandle, much of Alabama, and western Georgia through tonight, spreading northward into northern Georgia, the western Carolinas, and Tennessee on Tuesday,” the NHC said.

The National Weather Service said 2 to 6 inches of rain are expected in the rest of the Southeast and the Tennessee Valley into the lower mid-Atlantic from Tennessee east through the Carolinas.

Meanwhile, a Storm Surge Watch is in effect for the Aucilla River to Mexico Beach, Florida.

“The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline,” the NHC said, with water potentially reaching 1 to 3 feet above ground if the peak surge occurs during high tide.

Isolated tornadoes are likely through Monday night in parts of Georgia and southeastern Alabama, the NHC said.

“Alberto will likely become a subtropical depression tonight or early Tuesday and degenerate into a remnant low by Tuesday afternoon,” the NHC said.

Authorities in New Orleans urged residents and businesses to “get prepared and stay informed” about the storm. The main threat is from heavy rain that could lead to flooding, the city said, but also high winds and storm surge could cause problems.

“I strongly encourage everyone to be safe and stay informed,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said in a statement.

Hurricane season doesn’t officially begin until June 1, but Alberto apparently missed the memo. The tropical system became a subtropical storm Friday, the National Hurricane Center said.

The early storm doesn’t necessarily mean this year’s hurricane season will be as busy as last year’s, though. The season is likely to be “near or above normal,” according to the NHC. </s> May 26 - Florida Governor Rick Scott on Saturday declared a state of emergency as subtropical storm Alberto moves north towards the US Gulf Coast, threatening to bring heavy rainfall and flooding by Monday, according to officials.



All 67 Florida counties were issued the notice to give state and local governments enough time and resources to prepare, Scott said in a statement.



"As we continue to monitor Subtropical Storm Alberto's northward path toward Florida, it is critically important that all Florida counties have every available resource to keep families safe and prepare for the torrential rain and severe flooding this storm will bring," Scott said.



The storm is expected to approach the US northern Gulf Coast on the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, according to the latest National Weather Service (NWS) advisory. A tropical storm watch is in place from the New Orleans area to the Aucilla River in the Florida panhandle.



Alberto, the first named storm of the 2018 Hurricane season, was moving north near 10 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds near 40 miles per hour (65 km/h) with higher gusts on Saturday, the NWS said. Gradual strengthening is forecast until the system reaches the northern Gulf Coast by Monday night.



Heavy rains from the slow-moving storm were expected between 5 to 10 inches (13-25 cm), with up to 15 inches possible along from eastern Louisiana, across much of Mississippi, Alabama, western Tennessee and the western Florida panhandle, the NWS said.



Alberto's projected storm track has shifted eastward since Friday, lessening its threat to the active oil production areas in the Gulf of Mexico. Royal Dutch Shell plc and Exxon Mobil had evacuated some personnel from offshore Gulf oil facilities on Friday.



The storm on Saturday morning was last located about 20 miles (35 km) south of the western tip of Cuba and 250 miles (400 km) south-south west of the Dry Tortugas, which is almost 70 miles (113 km) west of Key West, Florida, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). </s> Florida's Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency for all 67 counties ahead of Subtropical Storm Alberto.

A briefing was held this morning at the state emergency operations centre in Tallahassee.

Authorities urged residents to take the storm seriously.

The Governor said the move was intended to "keep families safe and prepare for the torrential rain and severe flooding this storm will bring".

Escambia County declared a local state of emergency yesterday "in an abundance of caution". </s> Both Florida and Mississippi declared states of emergency Saturday as Subtropical Storm Alberto heads toward the Gulf of Mexico.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott issued the declaration for all 67 counties in his state. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant authorized the use of the National Guard, his office said in a statement.

The first named storm of this season, Alberto is expected to strengthen as it moves up the Gulf this weekend, the National Hurricane Center said, bringing heavy rains and possible floods to Florida and much of the Southeast in the coming days.

“Do not think that only areas in the cone will be impacted — everyone in our state must be prepared,” Scott said in a statement.

Click here to track the storm

Cuba is expected to get as much as 15 inches of rain, the hurricane center said in an advisory Saturday morning, and the Florida Keys and South Florida could get as much as 10 inches.

“Swells from Alberto will create dangerous surf and rip currents along the Gulf Coast,” the National Weather Service said.

The center of the storm is expected to be move close to the western tip of Cuba on Saturday afternoon, then track up the eastern Gulf of Mexico in the night through Monday.

The city of New Orleans urged residents and businesses to “get prepared and stay informed” about the storm. The main threat is from heavy rain that could lead to flooding, the city said, but also high winds and storm surge could cause problems.

“I strongly encourage everyone to be safe and stay informed,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said in a statement.

Hurricane season doesn’t officially begin until June 1, but Alberto apparently missed the memo. The tropical system became a subtropical storm Friday, the hurricane center said. As it travels up the warm waters of the Gulf, it could well become a full tropical storm.

As of 11 a.m. ET Saturday, parts of Cuba and the Florida Keys were under a tropical storm warning, and a tropical storm watch is in effect for parts of Florida, Georgia and Louisiana, meaning the conditions for a full storm are possible in the next 48 hours.

The early storm doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a busier-than-usual hurricane season though. The official National Hurricane Center forecast released Thursday said the season is likely to be near or above normal. </s> Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in all 67 Florida counties as Subtropical Storm Alberto makes its way north through the Gulf of Mexico.

Only the western tip of Florida’s Panhandle is in the projected path of the storm but the governor urged all Florida residents to be prepared for severe weather.

“The track of these storms can change without notice,” said Scott. “Do not think that only areas in the cone will be impacted – everyone in our state must be prepared.”

The state of emergency also ensures that state and local governments have plenty of time, resources, and flexibility to get prepared for this storm.

Heavy rain, wind gusts, strong rip currents, possible flash flooding and perhaps even tornadoes are forecast across South Florida during the Memorial Day weekend.

A flood watch is in effect for all of South Florida, as the region braces for rough weather from the eastern fringes of Subtropical Storm Alberto, which was moving slowly and erratically Saturday morning. As the day wore on Saturday, the National Weather Service in Miami reported the certainty of flooding had increased for all of South Florida, including Collier County.

The flood watch runs from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 p.m. Sunday, the period when Alberto is expected to pass closest to the region on its course toward the northern Gulf coast.

Although the east side of the storm isn’t expected to reach Broward, Miami-Dade or Palm Beach counties, the storm’s outer bands are expected to bring the area heavy rain, gusts of more than 40 mph, strong rip currents and the possibility of tornadoes, according to a briefing by the National Weather Service in Miami.

Such winds typically would only break small tree branches, said Robert Molleda, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service. But with the ground already saturated by previous rains, he said it’s possible trees could be uprooted and fall on power lines, causing outages.

All of South Florida is also at risk for tornadoes throughout Saturday night and all of Sunday, according to a 3 p.m. briefing from the weather service in Miami.

Alberto, appearing a week before the official start of hurricane season, maintained sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving north at 13 mph toward the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The National Hurricane Center has issued tropical storm and storm surge warnings for the northern Gulf coast, from eastern Louisiana to the western Florida Panhandle. A tropical storm warning has been issued for the Dry Tortugas in the Florida Keys.

The storm’s sustained winds are expected to intensify to 65 mph over the next three days, as it approaches the northern Gulf coast. This would make Alberto a strong subtropical storm, although well short of the 74 mph threshold for hurricane strength.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, the storm was about 65 miles north-northwest of the western tip of Cuba or about 195 miles southwest of the Dry Tortugas, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm is forecast to come closest to South Florida late Saturday night and early Sunday morning — although it will remain well out in the Gulf of Mexico.

Even though South Florida is not in the projected path of Alberto, the region is on the east side — the wettest side — of the storm. In contrast to a tropical storm or hurricane, where the strongest winds are at the center, a subtropical storm can have the most powerful winds far from the core.

The “subtropical” designation is a nuance in the world of weather science. Essentially, the characteristics of a subtropical system mean it lacks the punch to quickly increase in strength and become a hurricane.

On its current forecast track, Alberto is expected to continue its slow journey north through the weekend until making a turn to the northwest Monday as it approaches the north-central Gulf coast, the hurricane center said.

Rain chances, as forecast by the National Weather Service, are between 70 and 80 percent throughout the Memorial Day weekend. It’s not until mid-week that the rain chance dips to 40 percent, which is more typical for South Florida’s rainy season.

About three to seven inches are expected for the greater Fort Lauderdale and Miami areas, with three to four inches expected for Palm Beach County.

“Locally heavy rainfall is forecast across western Cuba and over much of Florida and the northern Gulf coast into early next week,” senior hurricane specialist Stacy Stewart said in Friday’s tropical weather outlook.

Here are the names of 2018 hurricanes and tropical storms </s> ABC News(ORLANDO) — Florida’s governor declared a state of emergency ahead of a subtropical storm’s hitting the Gulf Coast.

Subtropical storm Alberto is forecast to move northward into the Gulf Of Mexico over the weekend, with the center passing west of Cuba, the Florida Keys and mainland Florida — and setting its sights on eastern Louisiana, the Florida Panhandle and the coasts of Alabama and Mississippi.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Saturday that the state of emergency covers all 67 counties to “prepare for the torrential rain and severe flooding this storm will bring.”

Alberto was moving north-northeast at 7 mph on Saturday morning with winds currently at 40 mph. The storm is about 95 miles east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico. The satellite shows that Alberto is somewhat disorganized, with all of the thunderstorm activity east of the center of circulation.

Since Alberto is a lopsided storm, the most notable impacts will be east of the center of circulation. Therefore, direct impacts — primarily heavy rain — will affect much of Florida and the Gulf Coast later this weekend.

Alberto will likely come ashore, potentially as a tropical storm, somewhere along the Gulf Coast late Monday into early Tuesday. However, the primary impact of heavy rain will affect Florida through much of this weekend and impact the Gulf Coast as early as Sunday.

It is important to not focus on the exact cone, since impacts will be felt far away from the center of the storm. Regardless of whether Alberto becomes a true tropical storm by definition, very heavy rain and flooding are likely from Florida to Louisiana over the next several days.

The main and most widespread threat from Alberto is the potential for heavy rain. A flash flood watch has been posted for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and large areas of Florida. Widespread rainfall of 3 to 6 inches is expected through the next several days due to tropical rain showers from Alberto. Rainfall could reach or exceed 2 inches per hour in some of these cells. Some locations — especially southwest Florida, the Florida Keys and the Gulf Coast — will receive even heavier rain, with isolated totals of 6 to 10 inches possible.

Western Cuba could see rainfall totals of over 2 feet with Alberto, which could cause life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides.

A tropical storm watch has been posted for parts of the Gulf Coast, including New Orleans; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama. A storm surge watch has been posted for parts of the coastal region from eastern Louisiana to the panhandle of Florida. Storm surge could reach 2 to 4 feet when Alberto approaches the region on Monday.

There will be an increase in showers and thunderstorms in southern Florida, especially the Florida Keys, on Saturday. Some of these tropical showers will have very heavy rainfall. A couple of these tropical showers and thunderstorms could also spawn brief tornadoes. Key West, Florida, has already had its wettest May on record, with 13.08 inches of rain. Several more inches of rain is likely this weekend from Alberto.

By Sunday morning, the center of Alberto will be over the Gulf of Mexico, but widespread tropical showers and thunderstorms will be over much of Florida. Once again, very heavy rainfall is likely with these tropical downpours, and brief tornadoes will be possible.

Alberto is expected to come ashore late Sunday and early Monday along the Gulf Coast, with heavy rain being the primary threat.

There were 79 reports of severe weather in the country on Friday, with the majority of the reports coming from the central United States. That includes three reported tornadoes, including one landspout in southern Minnesota and one supercell tornado in central Texas. Hail up to the size of baseballs and softballs were also reported in central Texas.

On Saturday, the severe threat should be kept to a fairy localized and rural part of the country, with parts of eastern Montana and western North Dakota at risk for damaging winds, large hail and lightning.

The threat slides south and east on Sunday and stretches from western Kansas to southern North Dakota. In the slight-risk region, there is a threat for damaging winds, large hail and brief tornadoes.

The severe weather looks to stick around in this same part of the country — the central and northern high Plains — on Memorial Day. Once again, the risk will primarily be damaging winds and large hail. </s> People walk on the beach as Subtropical Storm Alberto approaches in Panama City, Fla., on May 28, 2018.

Subtropical Storm Alberto’s pelting rain and brisk winds roiled the seas as it neared the U.S. Gulf Coast on Monday, keeping white sandy beaches emptied of their usual Memorial Day crowds.

Forecasters warned of life-threatening surf conditions as Alberto made landfall at Laguna Beach on the Florida Panhandle late Monday afternoon. 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 threat for most areas.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 5 p.m. EDT Monday that Alberto was centered about 15 miles west-northwest of Panama City, Fla.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and was moving north at 9 mph.

As Alberto’s center move farther inland – 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 center than a tropical storm, and its strongest winds are found farther from its center.

Rough conditions were whipping up big waves off the eastern and northern Gulf Coast region, and officials warned swimmers to stay out of the surf through Tuesday due to life-threatening swells and rip currents. The hurricane center said a tropical storm warning was in effect from the Suwannee River in Florida to the Alabama-Florida state line.

Between four and eight inches of rain could pummel Florida Panhandle, eastern and central Alabama, and western Georgia before the storm moves on. Isolated deluges of 12 inches were possible. Several inches were also possible from Tennessee east through the Carolinas.

Lifeguards posted red flags along the white sands of Pensacola Beach, where swimming and wading were banned.

Some tourists said the rainy weather would not dampen their vacations.

Jason Powell said he was seeking to keep his children entertained until Alberto blows through his Florida Panhandle vacation spot.

“So far we’ve seen a lot of wind and the ocean is really high, covering up the entire beach,” Powell said, adding, “we’re not letting it ruin our vacation … we’re going to watch some movies inside and a little TV, and hopefully maybe even get into the pool” despite the rain.

Janet Rhumes said her group of friends from Kansas had been planning their Memorial Day weekend on Navarre Beach since October, and no tropical storm could deter them. They stocked up on groceries and planned to play card games.

“We’ve never seen one before and we’re here celebrating a friend’s 20th birthday,” Rhumes told the Northwest Florida Daily News. “So how often can you say you rode a storm out?” Rhumes said her group.

The mayor of Orange Beach, on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, said Alberto brought rain and aggravation – and dashed hopes for record crowds. Red flags flew on Alabama beaches and officers patrolled, making sure no one entered the water.

Elsewhere, Florida’s Division of Emergency Management said, about 2,600 customers were without power in northwestern Florida on Monday morning.

Scarlett Rustemeyer, a barista at the Fosko Coffee Barre in Pensacola Beach, said she always frets about power outages whenever storms come through Florida.

“My boyfriend and I usually try to go to the store and stock up on lots of bottled water, and get like canned goods and things that won’t go bad if our power goes out,” she said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a hurricane season forecast Thursday that calls for 10 to 16 named storms, with five to nine hurricanes. One to four hurricanes could be “major” with sustained winds of at least 111 mph.

If that forecast holds, it would make for a near-normal or above-normal season. An average hurricane season produces 12 named storms, of which six become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.

Kay reported from Miami. Associated Press writer Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this story. </s> Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency on Saturday ahead of Subtropical Storm Alberto's predicted path near Florida.

A press release from the governor's office said the state of emergency affects the entire state of Florida.

Scott said he declared the state of emergency to help Floridians best prepare for the coming days.

"Remember, the track of these storms can change without notice. Do not think that only areas in the cone will be impacted -- everyone in our state must be prepared," Scott said.

Central Florida is expected to start experiencing heavy rain from the storm on Sunday morning. News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges also predicted heavy gusts of wind with the possibility of tornadoes.

A flood watch is in place Saturday afternoon through Monday.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Florida Governor Rick Scott, and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant each declare a state of emergency as Subtropical Storm Alberto, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h), approaches the Southeastern United States. The National Hurricane Center predicts the storm will make landfall over the northern Gulf Coast late Monday afternoon or Monday night, with heavy rainfall and tropical storm conditions preceding actual landfall.