Tropical Storm Bertha forms in Gulf of Mexico, threatens life-threatening storm surge and flooding from Alabama to Louisiana
The second named storm of the season is expected to bring up to 8 inches of rain and a 1-4 foot storm surge to parts of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, with landfall possible near New Orleans by Wednesday.
Formation and current status
Tropical Storm Bertha strengthened from a tropical depression on Monday evening over the northern Gulf of Mexico, becoming the second named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami located the storm about 105 miles (165 km) south of Panama City, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). Tropical storm-force winds extended 70 miles outward from the centre, and the system was crawling north-west at roughly 3 mph. The slow movement is expected to prolong heavy rainfall across the region. The storm was also reported to be about 310 kilometres southeast of the US coastline, according to Spanish newspaper EL PAÍS.
Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf coast during the next several days.
Forecast track and intensity
The NHC's latest bulletin projects Bertha to drift westwards, hugging the northern Gulf coast, and possibly strengthen slightly before making landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana, by Wednesday. Once over land, the storm is forecast to weaken back to a tropical depression on Thursday and dissipate by the end of the week as it approaches the Texas coast. A tropical storm watch is in effect from the Ochlockonee River in Florida westward to the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border in Louisiana. The watch area includes major population centres like Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans.
- Tropical Storm Bertha forms south of Panama City, Florida, with 40 mph winds.
- Projected landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Forecast to weaken to a tropical depression.
- Expected to dissipate near the Texas coast.
Rainfall and storm surge hazards
The NHC warned of a "life-threatening storm surge" along the Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines, where water levels could rise 1 to 4 feet above normally dry ground. The surge would be particularly dangerous if it coincides with high tide, the centre noted. Rainfall totals of up to 8 inches (20 cm) are possible in some locations by Friday, with the heaviest amounts expected in southern Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and eastern Texas. Flash flooding is likely in urban areas with poor drainage. Isolated tornadoes could also spin up in Florida as the storm's outer bands move ashore.
Preparations and local response
In New Orleans, city officials have begun distributing sandbags to residents and are urging people to clear storm drains and gutters to reduce flood risk. The low-lying city, protected by a network of levees and pumps, remains vulnerable to intense rainfall events. Emergency managers are monitoring the storm's track closely as the Wednesday landfall window approaches. Further west, communities along the Texas coast are also on alert, though Bertha is expected to weaken significantly before reaching that area.
Seasonal and climatic context
Bertha is only the second named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, following Tropical Storm Arthur, which caused flooding in parts of the US last month. The storm's formation comes amid a period of sweltering summer heat across the US South, adding to the strain on infrastructure and emergency services. The NHC continues to monitor the Gulf for any further development.
