Tropical Storm Bertha moves toward northern Gulf Coast with flood risk

Tropical Storm Bertha, the second named system of the 2026 Atlantic season, intensified from a tropical depression on July 20 and was positioned about 140 miles south of Panama City, Florida, and 215 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm carries maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and is forecast to move slowly west-northwest or west over the next several days, staying near or along the northern Gulf Coast.

The hurricane center has issued tropical storm watches for the Gulf Coast, warning of strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous surf from late July 20 into July 21. A storm surge watch extends from the Alabama-Florida border to the mouth of the Mississippi River. Authorities in Louisiana and Texas have been advised to monitor the storm, as additional watches or warnings may be needed.

Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are expected, with isolated amounts up to 8 inches, across the Gulf Coast and nearby inland areas from western Florida to the middle Texas coast, including parts of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The National Hurricane Center noted that such rain could cause flash flooding, especially in urban zones.

"While rainfall will be welcome across portions of the Florida Panhandle due to an ongoing drought, the flooding risk can be increased because dry, hard soil allows water to run off rather than absorb quickly," said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva.

AccuWeather also warned that if heavy rain shifts west into the Texas Hill Country, the region's terrain and recent flooding history could heighten flash-flood concerns.

The storm follows Tropical Storm Arthur, which formed a month earlier in the Gulf. Seasonal forecasts predict a below-normal Atlantic hurricane season in 2026, with eight to 14 named storms expected, of which three to six may become hurricanes, according to NOAA.