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Editor's note: Follow the latest updates about Tropical Storm Bertha in USA TODAY's coverage for Tuesday, July 21.
Tropical Storm Bertha was "stationary" on the night of July 20 as federal forecasters warned it could bring tropical storm conditions, heavy rainfall and coastal flooding to parts of the northern Gulf Coast in the coming days.
Bertha, the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, intensified from a tropical depression on July 20, according to the National Hurricane Center.
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The storm was located about 140 miles south of Panama City, Florida, and about 215 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama, as of the hurricane center's 10 p.m. CDT advisory. Bertha had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.
Forecasters said a slow west-northwestward or westward movement is expected during the next several days, with Bertha forecast to move near or along the northern Gulf Coast. Some additional strengthening is possible through July 21.
Tropical storm watches were in effect along the Gulf Coast, where strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous surf conditions could develop late July 20 into July 21, according to the hurricane center. A storm surge watch was in effect from the Alabama-Florida border to the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Forecasters advised authorities and residents in Louisiana and Texas to monitor the progress of the storm, as "additional watches or warnings could be required for portions of that area" on July 21.
Flooding possible
The hurricane center said that Bertha is "expected to produce rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with locally higher totals around 8 inches through Friday along the Gulf Coast and adjacent inland locations from western Florida to the Middle Texas Coast, including southern portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. This rainfall may produce areas of flash flooding, especially in urban areas."
In an online update, AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva said that "while rainfall will be welcome across portions of the Florida Panhandle due to an ongoing drought, the flooding risk can be increased due to dry soil. This dry, hard soil can allow the water to run off instead of being absorbed right away."
If heavy rain shifts farther west into the Texas Hill Country, there will be elevated concern for flash flooding given the terrain and recent significant flooding that occurred across the region, AccuWeather warned.
Second storm of what's expected to be a quiet year
The storm comes about a month after Tropical Storm Arthur formed in the Gulf.
Forecasters predict the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season will see "below-normal" activity levels, thanks largely to the storm-snuffing impacts of El Niño.
A total of eight to 14 named storms are expected, with anywhere from three to six becoming hurricanes, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's seasonal outlook predicts.
A typical year averages about 14 tropical storms, seven of which spin into hurricanes, based on weather records from 1991 to 2020.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tropical Storm Bertha forms in the Gulf, forecasts warn of flooding
