SUBTROPICAL STORM ALBERTO PLAYS SMALLER NORTHEAST ROLE

SUBTROPICAL STORM ALBERTO PLAYS SMALLER NORTHEAST ROLE – Good morning everyone. While the Southeast begins to gear up for a major soaking by Subtropical Storm Alberto, we have a hot and humid one underway for today. Also, our holiday weekend finally has a clear and accurate path forecast-wise now that we can fully get Alberto’s timing down.

Today is very simple and summery here in the NYC area. Look for hot and humid conditions, highs near 90 in most areas away from the immediate shore, and mid 70’s to low 80’s at the beaches. We’ll have a steady southwest breeze, especially in the afternoon, then clouds will increase as our front approaches. Expect the slight chance of a thunderstorm by late afternoon, but certainly no rainouts today and you can enjoy your outdoor activities.

The chance of rain and thunderstorms increases tonight as that front makes a full pass across the area. Winds will switch around from the southwest to our lamented northeast direction. Look for a chance of some morning rain tomorrow, then cloudy and raw the rest of the day. Temps will be dropping from tonights frontal passage, all the way into tomorrow afternoon until we stop at the upper 50’s. Yes, after near 90 temps today, we are in the upper 50’s by tomorrow afternoon.

We have some partially good news for Monday as things took a long time for Alberto to get going. The delay will actually help keep Alberto at bay moisture-wise from the Northeast pretty much altogether. Look for mostly cloudy skies for Monday, maybe some peaks of sun, and a relatively dry day; highs in the low to mid 70’s. It won’t be a beach day with damp southeast winds and rip currents, but at least we will be rain free.

As far as Alberto is concerned, torrential rain and flooding will be the main threat from this system. As of now, the heaviest rain looks to be focused on the west coast of Florida, then in an area where it makes landfall between the Mississippi coast to the panhandle of Florida. Areas which see the main core of precip associated with Alberto, could see 7-10″+ of rain. Elsewhere, squally conditions and bands of rain can easily dump 2-3 inches in areas such as northeast Florida, central and northwest Georgia, and even some areas of South Carolina, Tennessee, and Louisiana. These bands will be quick moving, but as with any landfalling system, they can put down some flooding rains quickly.