Tropical Storm Alberto was the first tropical storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. Forming on May 19 near the US East Coast south of North Carolina, the storm quickly reached peak intensity of 60 mph (95 km/h) as it moved generally to the southwest. The storm shifted back to the east and then to the north as it gradually weakened before dissipating on May 22. Alberto was the first named pre-season storm to develop in the Atlantic since Tropical Storm Arthur in May 2008. Additionally, the storm had the earliest formation date of any tropical or subtropical system in the Atlantic basin since Subtropical Storm Andrea in May 2007.