Article first published: Thursday, July 23, 2026, 4 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Thursday, July 23, 2026, 7 a.m. ET

System type: Tropical storm

System name: Bertha

The National Hurricane Center’s 7 a.m. Thursday advisory reported that Tropical Storm Bertha is 145 miles west-southwest of New Orleans, Louisiana and 70 miles southeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana. The system is moving west at 13 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.

“… the center of Bertha will move near or along the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts through this afternoon, and then move farther inland over Texas this evening and tonight,” meteorologists noted. “Little change in strength is expected today, and Bertha is forecast to maintain tropical storm intensity until it reaches the upper Texas coast later today.” They also said “Bertha is expected to dissipate inland over Texas by tonight or Friday.”

Yesterday (Wednesday)

Bertha approached Louisiana’s coastline from the Gulf of Mexico. Forecasters alert of a tropical storm warning extended for westward the upper Texas coast.

Warning currently in effect

Tropical Storm Warning for The Gulf Coast from the Terrebonne/Lafourche Parish line, Louisiana, to Sargent, Texas

Meaning of the warning

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within 24 hours.

Hazards affecting land

Wind. Tropical storm conditions will continue spreading across portions of the northern and northwestern Gulf Coast within the warning area through today.

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…

Port Bolivar, TX to Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA…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 2 to 4 inches with isolated totals to 6 inches through tonight along Texas Gulf Coast and South Texas. 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 and northwestern Gulf Coast. 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