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Tropical Storm Bertha continued its slog toward the Gulf Coast, forecasters from the National Hurricane Center said, and remained on track to bring heavy rain, storm surge and gusty winds to several states along the Gulf Coast.
Bertha, the second storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, was expected to continue moving west, but the "forecast track and intensity remain highly uncertain," the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio warned July 21.
The potential for flooding rain is what worries forecasters most: Bertha "is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated 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," the hurricane center said.
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"This rainfall may produce areas of flash flooding, especially in urban areas."
Where is Tropical Storm Bertha?
As of 11 a.m. ET July 21, Bertha's center was 70 miles from Panama City, Florida, and moving north-northwest at 3 mph.
The storm was whipping up maximum sustained winds of 60 mph with higher gusts, the hurricane center said in a late-morning update. "Bertha has become slightly better organized this morning," the hurricane center said. Looking ahead, "little change in strength is expected today, followed by gradual weakening through the middle of this week."
Other threats from Bertha
In addition to rainfall, Bertha could bring high winds, storm surge, rough surf and rip currents.
Tropical storm conditions − meaning winds of at least 39 mph − were expected within the warning area along the northern Gulf Coast into Wednesday, July 22, the hurricane center said.
The combination of storm surge and tide could flood normally dry areas near the immediate coast and inland from the shoreline. The highest inundation, up to 4 feet, was possible from the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana to the Alabama-Florida border, the hurricane center said.
High surf will also be a concern: "Swells generated by Bertha are affecting portions of Florida and will spread westward along the northern Gulf Coast during the week. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions," the hurricane center said.
Will Tropical Storm Bertha become a hurricane?
Though Bertha was strengthening, forecasters did not predict it would become a hurricane as it continued to battle wind shear.
The wind shear is likely to give the cyclone an asymmetric structure, with the bulk of rainfall and much of the wind expected on the southern side of the storm center, the hurricane center said.
"Overall, Bertha is a low-grade tropical threat to North Florida and the Central Gulf Coast, and overall won’t be much different from a normal summer mix of sun and rain away from the immediate coast," Ryan Truchelut, chief meteorologist at WeatherTiger, who works with the USA TODAY Network, told the Tallahassee Democrat.
Hurricane safety tips
Though Bertha wasn't expected to reach hurricane status, it's still a good time to review hurricane safety tips. According to the National Weather Service, the two biggest hurricane killers are storm surge and inland flooding, so it's a good idea to "know your evacuation zone, heed evacuation orders, and never drive through flooded roads."
In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration advises folks to gather an emergency kit: "Have at least three days of water (1 gallon per person per day), nonperishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, cash, and a battery-powered or hand-crank weather radio."
Also, NOAA advises people to have multiple ways to receive warnings and not rely solely on their phones, such as weather radios, emergency alerts, TV, radio and trusted weather apps.
'Deafening crickets' across the Atlantic
Other than Bertha, the "Atlantic appears closed for business for the rest of the month," said WPLG-TV hurricane specialist Michael Lowry in an e-mail to USA TODAY, calling the current pattern "deafening crickets."
"We'll keep an eye to the subtropics this season (like the zone in the Gulf where Bertha formed), but for now, we're not seeing any candidates for at least the next few weeks," Lowry said.
Contributing: Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK − Florida
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tropical Storm Bertha live updates: Hurricane forecasters warn of trouble
