Beaches closed as Tropical Storm Bertha crawls along the Gulf Coast - AP News

What the report says

Associated Press reported that Tropical Storm Bertha came ashore Wednesday afternoon in southern Louisiana, making landfall in St. Bernard Parish roughly 40 miles east of New Orleans. The National Hurricane Center put Bertha’s sustained winds near 45 mph at landfall and said tropical-storm-force winds extended far from the center, affecting parts of the Gulf Coast as the system moved slowly inland.

The storm had already prompted beach, park and pier closures from the Florida Panhandle to Mississippi, along with closures of some low-lying roads. A tropical storm warning covered areas from Alabama to Louisiana, including New Orleans. AP reported that the main hazards for Deep South coastal communities were wind and storm surge, while the heaviest rain remained offshore, lowering the immediate flooding threat.

Conditions were visible around Lake Pontchartrain and coastal Louisiana, where AP and partner photos showed waves, rising water and residents watching the storm approach. The National Hurricane Center said winds were felt up to about 160 miles from Bertha’s center, and AP reported a 44 mph gust at New Orleans Lakefront Airport. In Panama City Beach, Florida, strong winds toppled a Waffle House sign onto a car.

Forecasters expected Bertha to keep similar strength until reaching the upper Texas coast Thursday. Louisiana State Climatologist Jay Grymes told AP the storm was not expected to cause broad damage, suggesting its effects should be manageable, though coastal surge, wind and heat in New Orleans remained concerns for residents and officials.