Tropical Storm Bertha, the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, was packing sustained winds of 50 mph on Tuesday, July 21, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Bertha was about 100 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, and 175 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama, at 7 a.m. CDT. It was crawling northwest at 5 mph.
The storm is expected to move slowly northwest or west-northwest before turning west around midweek. Its projected path runs near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next several days.
Some additional strengthening is possible Tuesday. The National Hurricane Center forecast shows Bertha reaching sustained winds of 60 mph before gradually weakening.
A Tropical Storm Warning extends from the Alabama-Florida border to the Jefferson-Plaquemines Parish border in Louisiana. Tropical storm conditions are expected in the warning area by Tuesday night into Wednesday, July 22.
Tropical Storm Watches cover part of the Florida Panhandle, metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and another section of the Louisiana coast.
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect from the Alabama-Florida border to the mouth of the Mississippi River. Water could rise between 2 and 4 feet above normally dry ground if the peak surge arrives during high tide.
Bertha is forecast to drop between 2 and 4 inches of rain through Thursday, July 23, from western Florida through southern Louisiana. Isolated totals around 6 inches could trigger flash flooding, especially in urban areas.
Dangerous surf and rip currents are also expected to spread westward along the northern Gulf Coast.
AccuWeather outlined two possible scenarios in an update provided to Daily Voice. A stronger, better-organized storm could remain farther south, possibly avoiding a Louisiana landfall before bringing heavier rain and stronger winds toward Texas. A less organized system would likely drift into Louisiana and weaken.
“Dry air and hostile wind shear across the Gulf will be the biggest factors in whether this further organizes,” said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather's lead hurricane expert. “Right now, our forecast expects those conditions to prevent significant strengthening.
"However, if the storm encounters a temporary reduction in wind shear, it could intensify more rapidly and track farther west toward Texas. The next 24 to 48 hours will be key as to where this storm will move later in the week.”
The National Hurricane Center said strong wind shear and nearby dry air are expected to limit Bertha’s development. However, officials advised people elsewhere in Louisiana and Texas to monitor the storm because additional watches or warnings may be needed.
The current official track keeps Bertha along the Gulf Coast and does not show a direct threat to the Northeast.
Check back with Daily Voice for the latest updates.
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