Tropical Storm Bertha Moves Towards the Gulf Coast

On July 20, 2026, Tropical Storm Bertha formed and posed a threat to the Gulf Coast with heavy rain. It is the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

According to the National Weather Service, Bertha was situated south of the Florida Panhandle, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, moving west-northwest at about 3 mph.

Storm Path and Forecast

A detailed map of the system, formerly known as Tropical Depression Two, shows it traveling west from the Panhandle, heading towards the New Orleans area, and eventually reaching eastern Texas later in the week. On Monday, Tropical Depression Two turned into Tropical Storm Bertha.

Nikki Nolan at CBS News highlighted that “a slow northwestward motion is expected through tonight, followed by a turn toward the west-northwest or west.”

The weather service projected that the storm would stay close to or travel along the northern Gulf coast over the next few days.

Watches and Warnings

A Tropical Storm Watch was issued for areas from the Ochlockonee River in Florida to the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border in Louisiana. Additionally, a Storm Surge Watch covered regions from the Alabama/Florida border to the Mississippi River’s mouth.

Forecasters predicted up to 8 inches of rainfall in some regions, with rain expected to continue through the week along the Gulf Coast and nearby inland areas from western Florida to the Texas coast. Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana are also likely to experience significant rainfall, potentially leading to flash flooding.

The system may also cause storm surge, increasing water levels by up to 4 feet in certain spots along the Gulf Coast.

Bertha has arrived just weeks after the season’s first named storm, Tropical Storm Arthur, made landfall in June along the Texas Gulf Coast.