Tropical Storm Bertha strengthened Tuesday, churning in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 90 miles southwest of Panama City, Florida. The storm was moving northwest at about 5 mph with maximum sustained winds reaching 60 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Tropical storm watches and warnings are in effect for coastal areas stretching from parts of the Florida Panhandle to the coast of southeastern Louisiana. This includes cities such as Panama City and Pensacola, Florida, Mobile, Alabama, and Gulfport, Mississippi. A tropical storm watch has also been issued for New Orleans.
Forecasters anticipate Bertha will move slowly along the Gulf Coast through Tuesday before reaching southern Louisiana on Wednesday, likely remaining a weak tropical storm. New Orleans may experience showers and gusty winds, potentially reaching tropical storm force, from Tuesday night through Thursday, though major impacts are not expected.
Officials are urging preparedness. Patrick Maddox, director of public safety for Okaloosa County, Florida, advised residents in the storm's path to remain vigilant. "Until the threat has passed, we never turn our back on a system in this Gulf," Maddox told ABC News.
Bertha formed as a tropical depression over the weekend and intensified into a tropical storm on Monday night. A tropical storm is defined as a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds between 39 mph and 73 mph.
Beyond Wednesday, Bertha is expected to continue moving westward toward Texas and weaken. The National Hurricane Center predicts it will dissipate or become post-tropical by Thursday night or Friday as it approaches the Texas coast.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible along the Gulf Coast and Florida Panhandle on Tuesday, with potential storm surges of 1 to 4 feet and a risk of life-threatening rip currents. Rain and thunderstorm activity are forecast to shift toward southern Alabama and Mississippi on Tuesday and Wednesday. Widespread rainfall of 2 to 4 inches is expected along the Gulf Coast through Friday, with locally higher amounts up to 8 inches. Major flooding is not anticipated.
The storm is characterized by an asymmetric structure, with much of its rainfall and wind expected to occur south of its center, meaning it may remain offshore for much of its projected path over land.