Hurricane Alberto intensified overnight out in the central Atlantic Ocean but remained no threat to major land areas in the Eastern Caribbean. At 5 a.m. Monday, the center of the hurricane was located near 16.2 degrees north latitude, 40.3 degrees west longitude, about 1,700 miles east of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Alberto has remained on a west-northwest course moving near 15 m.p.h. That motion should continue through Tuesday morning, hurricane forecasters said Monday.
The latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center estimates top winds at near 90 m.p.h., with little change in strength forecast over the next day or two.
Meteorologist Alan Archer said Monday morning that computer forecast models continue to conflict, with some suggesting that Alberto will take a northwesterly course while others predict a more west-northwesterly course as it nears the Lesser Antilles.
But what happens after the hurricane hits the 50 west longitude mark is crucial, Archer said.
"Beginning tomorrow the hurricane could strengthen significantly after it crosses into warmer waters. We’ll just have to wait and see," he said. Right now, Alberto is no threat to the major land areas in the Eastern Caribbean, he said.
"It’s about three days away from the Lesser Antilles, but it does bear watching," Archer added.
Advisories are being issued by the National Hurricane Center every six hours. The latest on Alberto can he obtained by calling the Knight Quality Stations Weather information line at 774-4786. Get today’s forecast by clicking on the rainbow at the top of the Source menu.
