Weather
Tropical Storm Expected To Form In Gulf: NHC
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the FL Panhandle and coastal AL as Tropical Depression Two strengthens in the Gulf.
ACROSS, AL — Tropical Depression Two is expected to gradually strengthen off the Florida coast and become Tropical Storm Bertha on Monday, the National Hurricane Center said.
The system, about 110 miles south of Panama City, has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, as of Monday morning.
It could bring tropical storm conditions to parts of the Florida Panhandle and Alabama coast starting Monday night into Tuesday, the agency said.
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A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for these areas.
The next named storm for this season is Bertha. The first system of the season, Tropical Storm Arthur, formed June 17 off the Texan coast.
Find out what's happening in Across Alabamafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The system is slowly moving northwest at 3 mph and those in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas should watch the storm’s path, as additional watches or warnings are likely over the next day or two, forecasters said.
Areas of flash flooding are possible through Friday along the Gulf Coast from western Florida to the middle Texas Coast, including southern parts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the NHC said.
As the system strengthens and moves away from Florida, “Bertha [is] looking like it could be a pretty impactful tropical system for many areas,” meteorologist Noah Bergren wrote in a social media post. “Many of the Google AI ensemble wants to bring it into or near SE Louisiana Tuesday or so, then back out over the Gulf and then into southeast Texas.”
Bergren added, “There is a smaller number but clear camp of members that entirely keep the center out over water, and do not landfall in Louisiana. Those scenarios clearly are stronger into hurricane status approaching Texas later this week.”
Meteorologist Matt Devitt wrote in a social media post that there’s a “big wild card ahead with the track and intensity.”
He continued, “If it stays on the southern side of the cone, it would spend more time over the water, become stronger and head in the direction of Texas. If it stays on the northern side of the cone, it would spend less time over water, would be a weaker storm by comparison and impact the Florida Panhandle more. Right now the NHC is splitting the difference right in the middle towards Louisiana and Mississippi.”
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