SerpApi.Org
Tropical Storm Bertha has formed in the northeastern Gulf and is expected to hit parts of the Gulf Coast from Florida to Louisiana, reaching as far west as Texas.
Heavy rain, coastal floods, and tropical storm-force winds are all possible risks. The system was already spinning heavy rain into the Florida Panhandle on Monday afternoon.
This is the second named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. It has winds of up to 40 mph and additional strengthening is possible.
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A tropical storm watch has been issued for the coast of the Florida panhandle from the Ochlockonee River west to the Jefferson-Plaquemines Parish border in Louisiana. In these areas, tropical storm conditions are possible for the next 24-to-48 hours.
Additional watches could be issued farther west along the Louisiana and Texas coast in the next day or two.
Despite its classification as a tropical storm, Bertha remains an unorganized system, with persistent thunderstorms confined to its southern half. The storm's large size and dry air have kept it from becoming a healthy tropical cyclone.
The Atlantic hurricane season has gotten off to a slow start, compared to recent years, as El Niño has a strong grip on parts of the basin. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a lower-than-average number of named systems in the Atlantic this season because of it.
Bertha is likely to face roadblocks in strengthening over the next few days. The storm will most likely track along or make landfall on the northern Gulf Coast near southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi by Wednesday.
This would prevent it from intensifying, because tropical systems weaken over land.
The storm would also face increasing wind shear, which is the change in wind speed or direction in the upper levels of the atmosphere.
These factors could even cause the system to dissipate over Louisiana, but recent forecasts call for it to reach the Upper Texas Coast as a tropical depression later in the week.
Regardless, heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and some coastal flooding will impact the northern Gulf Coast on Monday night at least through the middle of the week.
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