Tropical Storm Bertha Forms Off FL Coast: National Hurricane Center

Tropical Depression Two off the Florida coast was upgraded Monday evening to Tropical Storm Bertha, the National Hurricane Center said.

The announcement came around 8 p.m., at which time the storm was about 110 miles south of Panama City with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, according to the National Weather Service. An isolated tornado or two is possible over the Florida Big Bend region Monday evening, the weather service said.

"Bertha has been drifting erratically near 3 mph (6 km/h), but a northwestward motion is expected tonight and Tuesday morning, followed by a west-northwestward or westward motion," according to a public advisory Monday evening from the weather service. "On the forecast track, Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf coast during the next several days."

A storm surge watch is in effect for the Alabama-Florida border to the mouth of the Mississippi River and a tropical storm watch is in effect for the Ochlockonee River in Florida westward to the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border in Louisiana.

"Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch
area in the Florida Panhandle by late tonight into Tuesday," the public advisory said. "Tropical storm conditions are possible within the remainder of the watch area by late Tuesday night into Wednesday."

Bertha is expected to produce 2-4 inches of rainfall with isolated higher totals around 8 inches through Friday along the Gulf Coast and adjacent inland locations from western Florida to the Middle Texas Coast, according to the weather service.

Water could reach as high as 3-4 feet above ground in Florida if the peak surge occurs during high tide in the areas of the Alabama-Florida border and Indiana Pass to Chassahowitzka, with the deepest water along the immediate coast, the service reported.

The first system of the season, Tropical Storm Arthur, formed June 17 off the Texan coast.

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.”

See Also:

• 5 Things To Know About The 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season
• 'Super El Niño' Could Form In Atlantic: What It Means For FL Hurricane Season
• 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Names: What Storms Will Be Called This Season
• NOAA Releases 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Predictions As El Niño Returns