WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As of the National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. advisory, Bertha was moving west at 7 mph and was located about 25 miles southeast of New Orleans.
The National Hurricane Center extended the Tropical Storm Warning westward to Cameron, Louisiana. A warning remains in effect from the Alabama-Florida border to Cameron, including metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. A Tropical Storm Watch is also in effect from west of Cameron to Sargent, Texas.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
Bertha is expected to continue moving west near or along the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts through Thursday before turning farther inland over Texas Thursday night. The storm is forecast to maintain tropical storm strength until reaching the upper Texas coast before weakening and dissipating by Friday.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 160 miles from the center. A sustained wind of 36 mph, with a gust to 44 mph, was recently recorded at New Orleans Lakefront Airport.
Bertha is expected to bring 1 to 4 inches of rain, with isolated totals up to 6 inches, from the central Gulf Coast to southern Texas through Friday. The rainfall could trigger isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas.
Storm surge of 1 to 3 feet is possible along portions of the northern Gulf Coast, including Lake Pontchartrain, while dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents are expected along Gulf Coast beaches over the next several days.
While South Florida remains well outside Bertha's direct impacts, swells generated by the storm are expected to increase the risk of dangerous surf and rip currents along Florida's Gulf Coast.
For the latest tropical weather updates and local impacts to South Florida, stay with WPTV.com and the WPTV First Alert Weather team.
**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.
