Ken,
First I don't think anyone hyped up Alberto. Even a strong tropical storm or CAT 1 hurricane can do damage to an area. It is better to be prepare than not be.
TS Allison comes to mind as an example 2001.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Allison
Tropical Storm Allison
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This article is about a tropical storm of 2001. For other storms of the same name, see Hurricane Allison (disambiguation).
Tropical Storm Allison Tropical storm (SSHS)
Tropical Storm Allison on June 5, 2001
Formed June 4, 2001
Dissipated June 18, 2001
Highest winds 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
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Lowest pressure 1000 mbar (hPa)
Damages $5.5 billion (2001 dollars)
Fatalities 41 direct, 14 indirect
Areas affected Texas (particularly around Houston), Louisiana, most of the Eastern United States
Part of the
2001 Atlantic hurricane season
Tropical Storm Allison was a tropical storm that devastated southeast Texas in June of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. The first storm of the season, Allison had an unusually long path for a June storm, which extended from Texas to the Mid-Atlantic states. Allison was also the first storm since Tropical Storm Frances in 1998 to strike the upper Texas coastline.[1]
The storm dropped heavy rainfall along its path, peaking at over 40 inches (1000 mm) in Texas. The worst of the flooding occurred in Houston, where nearly $5 billion (2001 USD) in damage occurred. There, 30,000 became homeless after the flooding destroyed 2,744 homes. 23 people died in Texas.
Throughout its entire path, Allison caused $5.5 billion (2001 USD) in damage and 41 deaths. Aside from Texas, the places worst hit were Louisiana and southeastern Pennsylvania. Allison is the only tropical storm to have its name retired without ever reaching hurricane strength.
