Bertha Skirts Louisiana, Aims for Texas Coast

Tropical Storm Bertha is currently skirting the Louisiana coast and is forecast to make its second landfall in Texas later on Thursday. The system initially made landfall in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, on Wednesday afternoon with 45 mph sustained winds before moving back over water. As of Thursday morning, Bertha was located south of Lake Charles, Louisiana, still packing 45 mph winds and higher gusts. Forecasters anticipate Bertha will maintain tropical storm intensity as it moves along the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts before moving inland over Texas by evening, with dissipation expected late Thursday or Friday.

Tropical-storm-force winds from Bertha extend up to 160 miles from its center. The storm is expected to bring 1-3 feet of storm surge from Port Bolivar, Texas, to the mouth of the Mississippi River. Rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches, with isolated areas up to 6 inches, are forecast for the Texas Gulf Coast and South Texas, potentially leading to isolated flash flooding. Additionally, coastal swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. The Atlantic hurricane season officially began June 1 and runs through November 30, with Bertha being one of the named storms expected in a potentially below-normal season.