Communities across the U.S. Gulf Coast prepared for the arrival of Tropical Storm Bertha on Wednesday, with beaches closing and residents filling sandbags in anticipation of flooding and strong winds. The storm was projected to make landfall Wednesday night in a lightly populated area of Louisiana, southeast of New Orleans.
As of early Wednesday, Bertha was located approximately 145 miles west-southwest of Panama City, Florida, and 75 miles east of the Mississippi River's mouth. The storm was moving west at 6 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
A tropical storm warning was issued for a stretch of coastline from the Florida Panhandle westward to Morgan City, Louisiana, including metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. Forecasters predicted storm surges of up to 4 feet in Louisiana and smaller surges in parts of Florida and Alabama. Rainfall between 2 to 4 inches was expected from western Florida to southern Louisiana, with the potential for flash flooding in urban areas.
Authorities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida established sites for sandbag distribution. Red flag warnings were posted on some beaches, cautioning swimmers against dangerous rip currents, while double red flags signaled closures for swimming.
Bertha marks the second tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, following Tropical Storm Arthur in June, which brought heavy rainfall to the southeastern U.S. Coastal areas of Mississippi are still recovering from flooding caused by Arthur, which damaged and destroyed homes. Officials noted that residents are paying closer attention due to the recent storm.
As of Tuesday, there had been no need to open shelters or order evacuations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast a below-average Atlantic hurricane season, though this does not preclude the possibility of severe storms.
In the eastern Pacific, Hurricane Fausto was moving west-northwest far from land, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. Forecasters expected Fausto to strengthen gradually, and its associated ocean swells could create life-threatening surf conditions along the Baja California coast.