Article first published: Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 4 a.m. ET

System type: Tropical storm

System name: Bertha

At 4 a.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center published its initial advisory of the day on the system, stating that Tropical Storm Bertha is in the Gulf of Mexico, 165 miles west-southwest of Panama City, Florida and 50 miles east-northeast of the Mouth of the Mississippi River. The system, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, is moving to the west at 5 mph.

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

Forecasters alert of a tropical storm watch and a tropical storm warning extended for westward along the Louisiana coast.

Changes with this advisory

The Tropical Storm Warning east of the Okaloosa/Walton County Line has been discontinued.

Watches and warnings currently in effect

• Tropical Storm Warning for:

• Okaloosa/Walton 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 today. 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 Okaloosa/Walton County Line, 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 to the western Gulf Coast from western Florida to southern 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 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