Tropical Storm Bertha Threatens US Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Bertha, currently swirling in the US Gulf, is projected to bring significant rainfall and a dangerous storm surge to the southeastern United States. Located approximately 105 miles south of Panama City, Florida, Bertha is moving slowly northwestward. Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center in Miami anticipate Bertha will move along the northern Gulf coast over the next several days.

Potential impacts include flooding and storm surges along the coastlines of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi, with as much as 8 inches of rain possible by Friday. The storm could also spawn isolated tornados in Florida. A tropical storm watch is in effect for a significant stretch of the Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines.

As of Monday evening, forecasters indicated that Bertha might intensify before potentially making landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana, by Wednesday. While storm-force winds extend outward 70 miles, the storm is moving at a slow pace of about 3 mph. Authorities in New Orleans are distributing sandbags and urging residents to clear local storm drains.

Bertha is expected to weaken to a tropical depression by Thursday and dissipate by the end of the week as it approaches the Texas coast. This marks the second named storm of the season, following Tropical Storm Arthur last month.