Tropical Storm Alberto forms in Atlantic Ocean

MIAMI, June 11 (Reuters) The first tropical storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season, Alberto, formed off the coast of Cuba yesterday, the National Hurricane Centre said.

The storm, located near latitude 23.9 north and longitude 88.1 west, or about 400 miles (645 km) west of Key West, Florida, had sustained winds of 45 mph and was headed toward the northwest, according to the center's Web site (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov).

REUTERS SI BD2035