U.S. Air Force Hurricane Hunters found that Tropical Storm Bertha had strengthened as of Tuesday morning and that it was on the move, according to an update from the National Hurricane Center.
At the time of the report (10 a.m. Tuesday), the center also said that tropical storm watches and warnings were in effect for portions of the northern Gulf Coast, including Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. Tropical Storm Bertha was about 70 miles from Panama City, Fla., and 145 miles from Mobile, Ala., Tuesday morning with maximum sustained winds at 60 mph.
For reference, Category 1 hurricanes have sustained winds of at least 74 mph.
Bertha was moving north-northwest near 3 mph Tuesday, but the National Hurricane Center said it was expected to turn toward the west-northwest and west later in the day. Throughout the week, that westward movement is expected to continue.
“On the forecast track, Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next several days,” the center said.
Barry D. Keim, the Richard J. Russell Professor and Louisiana State Climatologist at Louisiana State University, joined WWL to discuss the storm Tuesday.
“Obviously that’s going to stir up that Gulf a little bit and it’s moving Northwest at five miles per hour,” he said. “It’s going to affect today, the Florida panhandle in Alabama. It’ll start to really have some impacts in Louisiana and Mississippi tomorrow.”
Data from those Air Force Hurricane Hunters, who work with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hurricane Hunters, indicated the storm’s winds had increased to 60 mph and that there were also higher gusts. Per the National Hurricane Center, little change was expected Tuesday and gradual weakening is actually expected through the week.
Bertha’s tropical-storm-force winds extended 90 miles from the center of the storm. Tropical storm conditions are expected along the Gulf Coast through Wednesday morning, according to the HHC.
A combination of storm surge and tide is also expected to cause normally dry areas to be flooded by rising waters moving inward from the shoreline. Impacted areas could include areas along the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana.
“The deepest water will occur along the immediate Coast,” said the National Hurricane Center. “Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.”
Overall, Bertha is expected to produce rainfall from 2 inches to 4 inches. There may be some isolated higher totals around 6 inches through Thursday along the central Gulf Coast from western Florida into southern Louisiana. Bertha’s rainfall may also produce isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas.
Swells generated by the tropical storm are expected to hot parts of Florida and spread west along the Gulf Coast through the week. With those swells, life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are predicted.
