Tropical Storm Bertha was bringing rain to large swaths of the northern Gulf Coast early Wednesday as its projected path sparked watches and warnings. Bertha was moving westward at 6 mph and that general motion was expected to continue through Friday, the National Hurricane Center said. "On the forecast track," the Miami-based center said, "Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next couple of days," adding that "maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 50 mph" and "gradual weakening is forecast to continue." Bertha, the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season , was forecast to stick close to the coast.
A tropical storm warning was in effect Tuesday from the Bay/Gulf County line in Florida to Morgan City, Louisiana, as well as for New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. A tropical storm watch was posted for west of Morgan City to Cameron, Louisiana, and Lake Maurepas. "Tropical storm conditions will continue spreading across portions of the northern Gulf Coast within the warning area through the day," the center said early Wednesday.
"Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area in Louisiana by tonight." "Bertha is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches with isolated higher totals to 6 inches through Thursday along the central Gulf Coast from western Florida through southern Louisiana," the center noted. "This rainfall may produce isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas." The system could also produce storm surge, raising waters up to 4 feet in some locations along the coast. Bertha comes weeks after the 2026 hurricane season's first named storm, Tropical Storm Arthur , which made landfall in June along the Gulf Coast of Texas.
