Tropical Storm Bertha forms in the Gulf, forecasts warn of flooding - USA Today

What the report says

USA Today reports that Tropical Storm Bertha developed in the Gulf of Mexico on July 20 and was nearly stalled that night, prompting federal forecasters to warn of possible tropical storm conditions, heavy rain and coastal flooding along parts of the northern Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center said Bertha strengthened from a tropical depression and, as of its 10 p.m. CDT advisory, was about 140 miles south of Panama City, Florida, and 215 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.

Forecasters expected Bertha to drift slowly west-northwest or west over the next several days, bringing it near or along the northern Gulf Coast. Tropical storm watches were posted for coastal areas where gusty winds, rough surf and heavy rain could arrive late July 20 into July 21. A storm surge watch covered the area from the Alabama-Florida line to the mouth of the Mississippi River, while residents and officials in Louisiana and Texas were urged to keep watching the storm’s progress.

The main concern highlighted in the report is flooding. The hurricane center forecast 2 to 4 inches of rain, with isolated amounts near 8 inches, through Friday from western Florida to the middle Texas coast, including southern Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. AccuWeather cautioned that dry soil in parts of the Florida Panhandle could worsen runoff, and that any westward shift toward the Texas Hill Country would raise concern because of terrain and recent flooding.

Bertha is the second named storm of the 2026 Atlantic season, following Tropical Storm Arthur. USA Today noted NOAA’s seasonal outlook calls for below-normal activity, with eight to 14 named storms expected.