Tropical Storm Bertha makes landfall in southeast Louisiana

July 22 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Bertha makes landfall in southeast Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon, bringing tropical storm conditions to the state.

The center of the storm storm was about 70 miles southwest of Biloxi, Miss., and 25 miles southeast of New Orleans, the National Hurricane Center said in its 4 p.m. CDT update. The storm was traveling west at 7 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.

There was a tropical storm warning in effect from the Alabama/Florida line west to Cameron, La., metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. A tropical storm watch was in place from Morgan City, La., west to Sargent, Texas and Lake Maurepas.

"On the forecast track,the center of Bertha will move near or along the Louisiana and upperTexas coasts through Thursday, and then move farther inland intoTexas Thursday night," the NHC said.

Bertha is forecast to gradually weaken over the next several days and downgrade to a tropical depression after making landfall in Texas on Thursday evening.

Bertha, which formed Monday night, is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches with isolated higher totals through Thursday along the central Gulf Coast from western Florida into southern Louisiana. This could produce isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas, the NHC said.

Surf conditions caused by Bertha will continue spreading west along the northern Gulf Coast, with swells likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions