Issued at 100 AM CDT Tue Jul 21 2026
000 WTNT32 KNHC 210534 TCPAT2 BULLETIN Tropical Storm Bertha Intermediate Advisory Number 7A NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL022026 100 AM CDT Tue Jul 21 2026 ...AIRCRAFT AND SATELLITE WIND DATA INDICATE THAT BERTHA IS STRONGER... SUMMARY OF 100 AM CDT...0600 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...28.4N 86.1W ABOUT 125 MI...205 KM S OF PANAMA CITY FLORIDA ABOUT 200 MI...320 KM SE OF MOBILE ALABAMA MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...50 MPH...85 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 320 DEGREES AT 2 MPH...4 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...998 MB...29.47 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY: None. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT: A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for... * Alabama/Florida border to the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border in Louisiana A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for... * Alabama/Florida Border to the Mouth of the Mississippi River A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for... * Bay/Gulf County line in Florida westward to the Florida/Alabama border * West of the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border to Morgan City, Louisiana * Metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours. A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life- threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations during the next 48 hours. For a depiction of areas at risk, please see the National Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov. A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case in the next 24 to 48 hours. Additional watches or warnings may be required later today. For storm information specific to your area, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office. DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK ---------------------- At 100 AM CDT (0600 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Bertha was located by Air Force reconnaissance aircraft near latitude 28.4 North, longitude 86.1 West. Bertha is moving toward the northwest near 2 mph (4 km/h). A slow northwestward to west-northwestward motion is expected today followed by a turn westward by the middle part of this week. On the forecast track, Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf coast during the next several days. Aircraft and satellite-wind data indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts. Some additional intensification is possible over the next day or so. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from the center. The minimum central pressure estimated from Air Force reserve reconnaissance aircraft observations is 998 mb (29.47 inches). HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- Key messages for Tropical Storm Bertha can be found in the Tropical Cyclone Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT2 and WMO header WTNT42 KNHC. WIND: Tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area along the northern Gulf coast by late today into Wednesday. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the watch area in the Florida Panhandle later today. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area in Louisiana by late tonight into Wednesday. STORM SURGE: The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the immediate coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide... Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA to AL/FL Border...2-4 ft Indian Pass, FL to Chassahowitzka, FL...1-3 ft Morgan City, LA to Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA...1-3 ft Lake Pontchartrain...1-3 ft The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office. For a complete depiction of areas at risk of storm surge inundation, please see the National Weather Service Peak Storm Surge Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?peakSurge. RAINFALL: Bertha is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated higher totals around 8 inches through Thursday along the Gulf Coast and adjacent inland locations from western Florida into southern Louisiana, including southern portions of Alabama and Mississippi. This rainfall may produce areas of flash flooding, especially in urban areas. For a complete depiction of forecast rainfall associated with Bertha, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?rainqpf and the Flash Flood Risk graphic at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?ero. SURF: Swells generated by Bertha are affecting portions of the Gulf coast of Florida and are likely to spread westward during the week. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office. A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?ripCurrents NEXT ADVISORY ------------- Next complete advisory at 400 AM CDT. $$ Forecaster Papin




