Tropical Storm Bertha is threatening the Gulf Coast, with the National Hurricane Center warning of heavy rain, flooding, and a possible storm surge along parts of the southeastern United States. The Bertha storm surge threat is centered on communities from Florida to Louisiana as the system tracks slowly across the Gulf.
On Monday, Bertha was about 105 miles south of Panama City, Florida, with sustained winds of 40 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. Forecasters said the storm was moving northwest at about 3 mph and that tropical-storm-force winds stretched 70 miles from its center. In an updated bulletin Monday evening, they said Bertha could strengthen over the next several days and might make landfall near New Orleans by Wednesday.
The storm could bring flooding and surge impacts to Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi as it drifts west toward Texas, forecasters said. Some areas could see as much as 8 inches of rain by Friday, and isolated tornadoes are possible in Florida. Officials said surge levels along parts of the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts could reach between 1 and 4 feet. Flash flooding is also a concern in urban areas.
