Tropical Storm Bertha Forms, Triggers Gulf Coast Alerts

Tropical Storm Bertha formed on Monday evening, prompting widespread alerts for homeowners along the Gulf Coast in preparation for severe weather. The National Hurricane Center reported that Bertha was located approximately 110 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, moving northwest at 5 mph with sustained winds of 50 mph. This development led to the issuance of tropical storm warnings, watches, and storm surge alerts spanning from the Florida Panhandle to southern Louisiana.

The NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft is actively tracking Bertha, with its center positioned about 100 miles south-southwest of Panama City and 175 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama. The storm is forecast to continue its slow northwestward movement before turning west mid-week, potentially tracking along or near the northern Gulf coastline over the next few days. Tropical storm conditions are anticipated within 36 hours for coastal areas of Alabama and Florida, as well as the border of Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes in Louisiana.

A tropical storm watch was in effect for New Orleans as of Tuesday morning. Furthermore, the NOAA issued a Storm Surge Watch for the area between the Alabama/Florida border and the Mouth of the Mississippi River, with potential inundation of 2 to 4 feet above ground level. Coastal surge heights are projected to be between 1 to 3 feet for the Florida coastline from Indian Pass to Chassahowitzka, and for the Louisiana coastline from Morgan City to the Mouth of the Mississippi River, including Lake Pontchartrain. Rainfall totals are expected to range from 2 to 4 inches through Thursday, with isolated amounts reaching up to 6 inches.