Article first published: Monday, July 20, 2026, 4 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Monday, July 20, 2026, 7 p.m. ET

System type: Tropical storm

System name: Bertha

The National Hurricane Center’s 7 p.m. Monday advisory reported that the system, which was named Bertha, became a tropical storm with sustained winds of 40 mph after intensifying from a tropical depression. The system’s new name was first made public in the 7 p.m. advisory. Tropical Storm Bertha is in the Gulf of Mexico, 110 miles south of Panama City, Florida and 190 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama. With maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, the system is moving west-northwest at 3 mph.

“… Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf coast during the next several days,” forecasters observed.

Forecasters issued a tropical storm watch for the Florida Panhandle.

Watches and warnings currently in effect

• Storm Surge Watch for Alabama/Florida Border to the Mouth of the Mississippi River

• Tropical Storm Watch for Ochlockonee River Florida westward to the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border in Louisiana.

Meaning of the different watches and warnings

A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life- threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations during the next 48 hours. For a depiction of areas at risk, please see the National Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov.

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

Additional watches or warnings may be required tonight or on Tuesday.

Hazards affecting land

Wind. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area in the Florida Panhandle by late tonight into Tuesday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the remainder of the watch area by late Tuesday night into Wednesday.

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 Alabama/Florida Border…2-4 ft Indian Pass, FL to Chassahowitzka, FL…1-3 ft Morgan City, LA to Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA…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 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. This rainfall may produce areas of 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.

Tornadoes. An isolated tornado or two is possible over the Florida Big Bend region this evening.

Surf. Swells generated by Bertha are affecting portions of the Gulf coast of Florida and are likely to spread westward during the week. 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