Storm Alberto claims lives in Mexico and drenches US coast

• Three people have died in Mexico after Storm Alberto made landfall on Thursday
• The deaths occurred in Nuevo León state – at least two of the victims were minors
• The storm has now weakened and has brought heavy rains to southern Texas
• NHC has warned of “life-threatening” flooding in both Mexico and the USA
• Schools closed and transport suspended

Storm Alberto claims lives in Mexico and drenches US coast

Three people have died in Mexico after Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the North Atlantic hurricane season, made landfall on Thursday. The storm, now weakened to a depression, has also brought heavy rains to southern Texas. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) had warned of “life-threatening” flooding in both countries.

The fatalities occurred in Nuevo León state, where officials reported that at least two of the victims were minors. The governor of Nuevo León has suspended public transportation, and schools in neighbouring Tamaulipas were closed due to the storm.

Despite being hundreds of miles offshore, Alberto’s edges caused significant rainfall in Texas, with Southside near Houston receiving at least 4 inches of rain. This prompted evacuations, and Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration due to the potential for “widespread and severe property damage, injury, and loss of life.”

Alberto has not directly struck the US, and its maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h) remained below hurricane strength. Meteorologists expect the storm to dissipate soon.

The North Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, with predictions of up to seven major hurricanes this year, more than double the usual number. Record-high sea surface temperatures and shifting weather patterns contribute to this forecast. While climate change does not increase the number of hurricanes, it makes powerful ones more likely and brings heavier rainfall.

Human-caused climate change has also made recent extreme heat in the US southwest, Mexico, and Central America around 35 times more likely, according to the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group. Currently, 95 million Americans are living in heat warning areas, with alerts also in place in seven Canadian provinces.

Boston experienced record-breaking heat during the Juneteenth holiday, reaching 98°F (37°C), the highest temperature for June 19 in 101 years. Early wildfires have burned tens of thousands of acres in California and New Mexico, resulting in at least two deaths in New Mexico.