mph (140 km/h) while located about 120 miles (195 km) west-southwest of Key West, Florida. Shortly after peaking in intensity, strong upper-level westerly winds impacted the deep convection of the storm. By early on June 4 Alberto weakened to a tropical storm after turning sharply westward due to weak steering currents. It drifted erratically as the circulation became exposed, and early on June 5 it degenerated into a convectiveless tropical depression. 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 (115 km) off the coast of Florida. Preparations and impact Cuba The rainbands of Alberto produced heavy rainfall and flash flooding across western Cuba. The rainfall peaked at 39.84 inches (1012 mm), the fourth highest rainfall total in the country since 1963. More than 50,000 were forced to evacuate from the resulting floods, which were described as the worst flooding in the northwestern portion of the country since 1950. Hurricane Alberto damaged a total of 8,745 houses in the country. In Pinar del Río Province, 71 homes were destroyed, and across the nation hundreds of people were left homeless. 83 buildings were collapsed in the capital city of Havana, while six factories in Havana Province received damage. The passage of Alberto left several districts in Havana without electricity, telegraph, telephone, and mail service. The Cuban military was deployed to rescue those trapped in flooded homes and also to remove fallen trees. Agricultural damage included about 250,000 downed banana trees and 400 drowned cattle. Heavy rainfall continued for weeks after the passage of Alberto, resulting in severe damage to the tobacco crop. Subsequent winds and rains destroyed storage sheds which ruined 1.8 million lb. (900,000 kg) of the recently finished harvest; 2.6 million lb. (1.3 million kg) of tobacco leaves were also damaged. Two days after its closest approach, the death toll in Cuba reached 11, and a day later it was raised to 23 fatalities. The final death toll was reported as either 23 or 24, with one report indicating 17 people missing; Pinar del Río Province reported at least 20 deaths and Havana reported three casualties. Damage was estimated at $85 million (1982 USD, $ USD). Florida Due to its sudden development and project track into southwest Florida, the National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning and hours later a