The first tropical storm of the 2000 Atlantic Hurricane Season on Saturday became the first hurricane.
Alberto developed into a minimal hurricane Saturday afternoon after showing signs of not being well-organized earlier in the day. Satellite photos late Saturday show the hurricane has developed an eye.
At 5 p.m. the center of the hurricane was located near 14.7 degrees North latitude and 32.1 degrees West longitude. The position is about 2,100 miles east of the Virgin Islands.
Alberto is moving to the west at 15 miles per hour with no significant change in forward motion expected through Sunday. Maximum winds have increased to 75 miles an hour. Hurricane forecasters do not expect Alberto to intensify before Monday, when it begins to move into warmer waters from which it draws energy.
Computer models suggest the hurricane will maintain westerly movement through Tuesday when it moves closer to the Lesser Antilles. All models continue to suggest that the hurricane will pass to the north and east of the major land areas in the Eastern Caribbean.
Advisories are being issued by the National Hurricane Center every six hours on Hurricane Alberto.
