Article first published: Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 4 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 1 a.m. ET

System type: Tropical storm

System name: Bertha

According to the National Hurricane Center’s 1 a.m. Wednesday advisory, Tropical Storm Bertha is in the Gulf of Mexico, 145 miles west-southwest of Panama City, Florida and 75 miles east of the Mouth of the Mississippi River. With maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, the system is moving west at 6 mph.

“… Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next couple of days,” analysts explained. They also said “Gradual weakening is forecast to continue over the next several days.”

Watches and warnings currently in effect

• Tropical Storm Warning for:

• Bay/Gulf County Line in Florida to Morgan City, Louisiana

• Metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain

• Tropical Storm Watch for:

• West of Morgan City, Louisiana, to Cameron, Louisiana

• Lake Maurepas

Meaning of the different watches and warnings

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Hazards affecting land

Wind. Tropical storm conditions will continue spreading across portions of the northern Gulf Coast within the warning area through the day. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area in Louisiana by tonight.

Storm surge. The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the immediate coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide…

Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA to Mississipi/Alabama Border…2-4 ft Cameron, LA to Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA…1-3 ft MS/AL Border to Aucilla River, FL…1-3 ft Lake Pontchartrain…1-3 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.

For a complete depiction of areas at risk of storm surge inundation, please see the National Weather Service Peak Storm Surge Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?peakSurge.

Rainfall. Bertha is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches with isolated higher totals to 6 inches through Thursday along the central Gulf Coast from western Florida through southern Louisiana. This rainfall may produce isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas.

For a complete forecast of rainfall associated with Bertha, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?rainqpf and the Flash Flood Risk graphic at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?ero.

Surf. Swells generated by Bertha will continue spreading westward along the northern Gulf Coast during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?ripCurrents

Source: National Hurricane Center