As Alberto moves out, thunderstorms move in

Subtropical Storm Alberto made landfall on the Florida Panhandle on Monday, and as the storm continues to move north out of the state, it will leave behind a few hazards for Palm Beach County residents, according to the National Weather Service.

In addition to a moderate risk of flooding across the county, there also is a high risk of rip currents on all South Florida beaches and southeast winds reaching speeds of up to 35 mph, a report from the National Weather Service said. These hazards are expected to decrease by mid-week.

“Alberto is going to be out of our picture by no later than Wednesday,” National Weather Service meteorologist Robert Molleda said. “By then, we’ll be back to a more typical weather pattern through the end of May.”

That pattern, Molleda added, looks like late morning or early afternoon thunderstorms with about a 40 percent chance of rain nearly every day.

“This is a time of year where we have to be more mindful of thunderstorms and lightning,” he said. “But that is typical of our rainy season pattern.”

Palm Beach County residents can expect about a halfinch of rain before Wednesday, and the NWS says flooding is still possible.

“There is a lot of standing water in the area right now,” Molleda said, blaming heavy rains over the past two weeks. “Even a little bit of rain can exacerbate that and lead to flooding.”

An alert from the Lake Worth Drainage District urges those who live in the designated flood control area to ensure that drainage swales and storm drains are free from obstructions or debris that may block runoff.

Communities with lakes may also experience higher water levels and flooding, something that is normal and expected given the amount of rainfall received, the alert read.