Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said on Monday (local time) that Tropical Storm Bertha formed over the Gulf of Mexico, south of the Florida Panhandle, in the evening. The storm is moving erratically toward populated coastal communities, raising concerns over heavy rainfall, storm surge, and strong wind gusts.
According to the Miami-based agency, the center of the tropical storm was situated at around 8 pm, some 110 miles (180 kilometers) south of Panama City, Florida, in the northern Gulf. The storm was packing sustained winds of around 40 mph (65 kph), and some additional strengthening is expected as it approaches land, news agency AP reported.
On Monday, the slow-moving system, which became the Atlantic hurricane season's second named storm, lingered over the Gulf for several hours. Forecasters expect it to remain near or along the northern Gulf Coast early this week, bringing heavy rainfall to coastal areas of northern Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana before tracking west toward Texas.
Last month, Tropical Storm Arthur brought heavy rainfall to the southeastern parts of the United States.
Tropical storm watch in place
In the meantime, a tropical storm watch has been issued for a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast, extending from the Ochlockonee River in Florida in the west to the Jefferson-Plaquemines parish line in southeastern Louisiana. Separately, a storm surge watch is also in place from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama-Florida border.
The National Hurricane Center warned that storm surges of up to 4 feet (1.2 metres), capable of posing a serious threat to life, could impact parts of the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts. It also said Bertha may trigger one or two isolated tornadoes over Florida's Big Bend region later this week.
Forecasters also warned that some locations could receive up to eight inches of rain. Showers are expected to continue along the Gulf Coast and nearby inland areas from western Florida to the Texas coast throughout the week, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana at risk of flash flooding.
According to a CBS News report, a forecast map for the system, formerly known as Tropical Depression Two, shows it tracking westward along the Gulf Coast from Florida's Panhandle toward the New Orleans area before continuing into eastern Texas later this week.
The weather service on Monday noted, "A slow northwestward motion is expected through tonight, followed by a turn toward the west-northwest or west," and added, "On the forecast track, the depression will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next several days."
Tropical Storm Fausto strengthens
In the eastern Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Fausto strengthened on Monday (local time) and was nearing hurricane status while remaining well offshore of western Mexico. It was packing sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph) and was centred about 745 miles (1,205 kilometres) southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. The National Hurricane Center said that the storm was moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph) and posed no threat to land.
On 19 July, a tropical storm watch was posted for the Florida Panhandle as the Atlantic's next event took shape offshore.
