WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Tropical Storm Bertha continues its slow approach toward the northern Gulf Coast Tuesday morning, moving away from South Florida but prompting tropical storm warnings and watches across portions of the Florida Panhandle, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
WATCH:
As of the 8 a.m. National Hurricane Center advisory Tuesday, Bertha was located about 100 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, and 175 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama. The storm is packing maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and moving northwest at 5 mph.
Tropical storm warnings remain in effect from the Alabama/Florida border to the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border in Louisiana, with conditions expected within 36 hours. Tropical storm watches extend from the Bay/Gulf County line in Florida westward to the Florida/Alabama border, and from west of Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border to Morgan City, Louisiana, including metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas.
Tropical storm conditions are expected along the northern Gulf Coast by late Tuesday into Wednesday. The Florida Panhandle could see tropical storm conditions later Tuesday, while Louisiana may experience these conditions by late Tuesday night into Wednesday.
Bertha is forecast to dump 2-4 inches of rain across the Gulf Coast through Thursday, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 6 inches. This includes western Florida into southern Louisiana, and southern portions of Alabama and Mississippi.
The storm is expected to maintain its slow northwestward to west-northwestward motion Tuesday, followed by a turn westward by mid-week. Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast over the next several days. Some slight strengthening is possible later Tuesday, but gradual weakening is expected through the middle of the week.
While South Florida remains well outside Bertha's direct impact zone, dangerous swells generated by the storm are already affecting Florida's Gulf Coast and will likely spread westward throughout the week, creating life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
For the latest tropical weather updates and local impacts to South Florida, stay with WPTV.com and the WPTV First Alert Weather team.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
**Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalist to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
