Tropical Storm Bertha is expected to weaken Tuesday as it nears the U.S. Gulf Coast, but still poses a threat of heavy rain and flooding from western Florida to Louisiana. Bertha, the second tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, was approximately 90 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, according to meteorologists.
The storm is currently moving northwest at 5 mph and is forecast to lose strength as it approaches land. Accuweather meteorologist Carl Erickson noted that the heaviest rain is expected to remain concentrated from the Florida Panhandle to coastal areas of Louisiana and Texas. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the region spanning the Florida-Alabama border to the Terrebonne-Lafourche Parish Line in Louisiana.
New Orleans remains under a tropical storm watch, with forecasts predicting gradual weakening from Wednesday through Friday. Erickson highlighted that the rapid development of storms like Bertha serves as a reminder of the limited preparation time communities may have for extreme weather events. "The early development of Arthur and Bertha is a reminder that storms forming close to the United States can leave communities with very little preparation time," he said. "It does not mean the entire season will be unusually active, but it reinforces why everyone from the Gulf Coast through the Northeast should remain prepared as we approach the climatological peak of hurricane season."
Authorities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida are distributing sandbags to residents and posting warnings about rip current dangers in anticipation of the storm. Forecasts indicate 2 to 4 inches of rain along the coastlines from western Florida to southern Louisiana, with isolated areas potentially receiving higher amounts. IMAGE1
Erickson stated that the Northeast is not expected to be significantly impacted by Bertha. "Any rain that happens to fall in the Mid-Atlantic or Northeast later this week or this weekend would be unrelated to Bertha." The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects a below-average Atlantic hurricane season overall, though this does not preclude the possibility of a severe storm.
The NOAA satellite image taken on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, shows Tropical Storm Bertha moving along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. IMAGE3