Alberto weakens to subtropical depression

ORLANDO, Fla. – Forecasters have downgraded Alberto to a subtropical depression but say a flood threat persists as the huge system continues to dump heavy rains.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Alberto, formerly a subtropical storm, weakened Monday evening just hours after making landfall in the Florida Panhandle. As of the 11 p.m. EDT advisory, Alberto was located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west-northwest of Dothan, Alabama. Its top sustained winds are now down to about 35 mph (55 kph).

The storm is expected to pick up speed in coming hours and move over Alabama later in the night and early Tuesday as it spreads storms around the South.

Forecasters say rains from the farflung system could produce flash flooding in the hours ahead.

Authorities so far haven't attributed any deaths or injuries directly to Subtropical Storm Alberto. But in North Carolina, a television news anchor and a photojournalist have died when a tree fell on their vehicle as they reported on severe weather on the fringes of the huge system.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol says a large tree toppled Monday on the TV news vehicle near Tryon, North Carolina. Station WYFF-TV of Greenville, South Carolina, says one of its news anchors, Mike McCormick, and photojournalist, Aaron Smeltzer, were killed.

McCormick and Smeltzer had just interviewed Tryon Fire Chief Geoffrey Tennant as they reported on fringe storms in North Carolina, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the center of Alberto. Tennant says minutes later he got a call "and it was them."

Tennant didn't directly blame Alberto for the deaths, noting the tree became loose in ground already saturated by a week rain.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially starts on Friday, but the first named storm of the 2018 hurricane season is expected to bring some more showers to the Orlando area.

"A few showers will roll in, impacting Brevard and Osceola counties, and some of that rain could spread further inland," News 6 meteorologist Samara Cokinos said. "Showers will be off and on Monday afternoon. Some of the rain could be moderate to heavy, adding up to an inch of rainfall rather quickly." 

Brevard County remains under a flood watch through Monday evening.

The high in Orlando will reach the mid-80s. Overnight lows will be in the low 70s.

Along the coast, the waters remain hazardous for boaters and there's a small-craft advisory in place through late Monday afternoon. Beach officials will also fly the red flag, indicating a high rip current risk. 

"Each day this week will be like our normal pattern, with afternoon storms," Cokinos said. "By the end of the week, the coverage or rain will be a bit less." 

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Highs will return to 90 by the end of the work week. 

Watch News 6 and stay with ClickOrlando.com for updates.