Is Alberto a Sign of Things to Come?

Hurricane experts say Alberto's early appearance doesn't tell us much. June storms are not typical, although last year, we had two -- hence the question of whether Alberto means 2006 will be another rough year for the Gulf Coast.

Was Tropical Storm Alberto an anomaly or an ominous sign of storms to come?

The answer is: neither.

"Alberto is a very classic June tropical storm," said Chris Landsea, science and operations officer at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. ...

Storm watchers will note that Alberto looked nearly identical to Tropical Storm Arlene, which kicked off the 2005 hurricane season.

Like Alberto, Arlene formed in the northwestern Caribbean, nearly reaching hurricane strength, and then weakened before making landfall June 11 in the Florida Panhandle.

Arlene ushered in what would become the most active Atlantic hurricane season in 154 years of recorded history. The 28 named storms caused at least 2,280 deaths and $100 billion in damage.

So is Alberto an indicator of an active season?

"There is absolutely no correlation between the start date of the hurricane season and the level of activity that follows for the rest of the season," said Frank Lepore, a spokesman with the National Hurricane Center. ...

Scientists are forecasting that the 2006 season could produce as many as 16 named storms, including six major hurricanes.

Forecasters predict that warmer ocean water combined with lower wind shear, weaker easterly trade winds, and a favorable wind pattern will create more and bigger storms.

"Alberto could merely be a shot over the bow," said Jamie Rhome, a forecaster with the hurricane center.

Trivia coming from this report: What is the earliest hurricane to strike the United States? Alma, a deadly Category 3, hit the Florida Panhandle on June 9, 1966 after killing 73 people in Honduras and 11 in Cuba. Six Americans died.