First tropical storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season forms

Tropical Storm Alberto is the first named storm of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season which begins on June 1st, 2012.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Sunday May 19, 2012 -  The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) is reporting that at 5 pm eastern time Tropical Storm Alberto was located near latitude 32.2 north longitude 77.7 west or about 140 miles east southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.

The 5 pm EDT NHC advisory indicates that maximum sustained winds are near 45 miles per hour with higher gusts and tropical storm force winds extend 45 miles mainly to the north of the system.

The estimated minimum central pressure for the system has dropped to 1007 mb.

Tropical Storm Alberto is the first named storm of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season which begins on June 1st, 2012 however it poses no threat to the Caribbean.

According to Philip J. Klotzbach and William M. Gray of the Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to see about ten named storms including four hurricanes and two major hurricanes.

Track the latest on Tropical Storm Alberto in our storm centre. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)