Tropical Storm Bertha makes landfall in Louisiana as flash-flood threats loom in the Mid-Atlantic

Tropical Storm Bertha crossed the coast of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, at about 2 p.m. CT on Wednesday, becoming the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic season to make landfall. The storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at 45 mph with higher gusts, and it brought heavy rain squalls, gusty winds and coastal flooding to southeastern Louisiana and the northern Gulf Coast.

Governor Jeff Landry said the state had been preparing for the storm for days, distributing 30,000 sandbags in New Orleans and ensuring more than 90 % of major drainage pumps were operational. He urged residents in flood-prone areas to follow emergency plans and heed official warnings, directing them to GetAGamePlan.org for preparedness resources.

The National Hurricane Center maintained a Tropical Storm Warning from the Alabama-Florida border westward to Morgan City, Louisiana, and a Tropical Storm Watch extending to Sargent, Texas. Forecast models indicated the system could briefly reorganize over the Gulf before a possible Texas landfall, though strong wind shear and dry air were expected to keep it weak.

At the same time, a slow-moving front combined with tropical moisture to produce flash-flood threats across the Mid-Atlantic. West Virginia declared a Flash Flood Emergency after a bridge in Beans Mill was damaged, and the National Guard deployed additional rescue teams. Southern Virginia and North Carolina faced Level 3 flood risk, with rain rates capable of producing several inches per hour on already saturated soils. Officials warned drivers to avoid flooded roads and residents to stay alert for rapid water rises.

Elsewhere, severe thunderstorms caused power outages for more than 25,000 customers in West Virginia and prompted swift-water rescues in Tennessee. The widespread weather event also disrupted air travel, with thousands of flights delayed or canceled as airlines worked to recover from the previous day’s storms.