Initial forecasts predicted the hurricane would continue northeastward into Florida; it turned sharply westward and drifted erratically for several days across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, before dissipating on June 6.

Alberto produced heavy rainfall in western Cuba, causing flash flooding and severe damage.

Initially, Alberto was forecast to continue northeastward and strike Florida, though it turned and rapidly weakened, resulting in minor effects in the state.

It drifted westward into the Yucatán Peninsula, and on June 1 the convection organized into a circular cloud pattern in association with a low pressure system.

The system tracked northeastward into the Gulf of Mexico while continuing to organize, and subsequent to the formation of a low-level circulation it developed into Tropical Depression One while located about 40 miles (64 km) north-northwest of Cancún.

[4] Alberto quickly strengthened while moving northeastward through the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, and intensified into a hurricane about nine hours after attaining tropical storm status.

Late on June 3, Alberto attained peak winds of 85 mph (137 km/h) while located about 120 miles (190 km) west-southwest of Key West, Florida.

By early on June 4 Alberto weakened to a tropical storm after turning sharply westward due to weak steering currents.

As a tropical depression, Alberto drifted to the east-northeast and later turned to the east, and late on June 6 it dissipated while located about 70 miles (110 km) off the coast of Florida.

[11] Heavy rainfall continued for weeks after the passage of Alberto, resulting in severe damage to the tobacco crop.

[13] Due to its sudden development and project track into southwest Florida, the National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning and hours later a hurricane warning from the Dry Tortugas to Marathon in the Florida Keys and along the southwestern coastline northward to Fort Myers.