Tropical Storm Bertha forecast to bring heavy rain, flooding along the Gulf Coast

By — John Seewer, Associated Press John Seewer, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/tropical-storm-bertha-forecast-to-bring-heavy-rain-flooding-along-the-gulf-coast Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Tropical Storm Bertha forecast to bring heavy rain, flooding along the Gulf Coast Nation Jul 21, 2026 8:15 PM EDT Tropical Storm Bertha strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday but was expected to weaken as it chugs closer to the U.S., potentially bringing coastal flooding and heavy rain from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana. READ MORE: Tropical Storm Bertha forms along U.S. Gulf Coast Those areas along the northern Gulf Coast were under a tropical storm warning through Wednesday and could see rain and flooding into Thursday morning, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said. New Orleans also was under a tropical storm warning. The storm was about 105 miles (170 kilometers) southwest of Panama City, Florida, and roughly the same distance southeast of Mobile, Alabama. It was moving slowly to the northwest Tuesday afternoon with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph), the hurricane center said Tuesday. Gradual weakening was forecast through Friday. Bertha was forecast to make landfall Wednesday night somewhere in the coastal and lightly populated part of Louisiana southeast of New Orleans, said Michael Buchanan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Louisiana. Wind will be biggest threat there, he said. Authorities open sites to distribute sandbags Authorities in Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida opened sites to provide sandbags to residents while red flag warnings were posted along some beaches advising swimmers about the dangers of rip tides. Up and down the coast, double red flags signaled that Gulf waters were closed for swimming. Beaches near Pensacola, Florida, were mostly deserted except for tourists venturing out to take photos of the pounding surf. "For locals, this is just another storm," said Candice Henderson, manager of the Crab Trap, a beachside restaurant that was packed Tuesday on Pensacola's Perdido Key. "When you're on vacation and its raining, you either shop or you go out to eat." The storm was expected to weaken as it moves along the coast, said Jamie Rhome of the hurricane center. It's possible that the worst of the storm will stay offshore, he said Tuesday. Bertha was expected to weaken further as it pushes into Texas, forecasters said. Forecasts called for as much as 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) of rain from western Florida to the southern Louisiana coastline, with higher amounts in some scattered areas. That could cause flash flooding in some urban areas. Authorities also advised that areas in Louisiana from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama-Mississippi state line could see storm surges of up to 4 feet (1.2 meters). Parts of Florida and Alabama could see smaller surges. The