Tropical Storm Bertha, the second-named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, formed on Monday and was threatening the northern Gulf Coast with heavy rains and possible flooding on Tuesday.
Storm strengthens, forward speed slows
Update 11:06 a.m. ET July 21: According to the National Hurricane Center’s 11 a.m. ET advisory, a NOAA “hurricane hunter” plane investigating the storm found that Bertha had strengthened slightly, with maximum sustained winds clocked at 60 mph at the storm’s center.
The storm is moving north-northwest and its forward speed has slowed to 3 mph, according ot hte hurricane center. At 11 a.m. ET, the storm’s center was located approximately 70 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, and 145 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama.
A tropical storm warning has been extended from the Florida-Alabama state line east to the Bay-Gulf county line. It also extends west to the the Terrebonne-Lafourche parish line.
The hurricane center will issue an intermediate advisory at 2 p.m. ET.
Storm continues to move slowly
Update 7:52 a.m. ET July 21: In its 8 a.m. ET advisory on Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said that Bertha continued moving slowly to the northwest with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph at its center.
The storm was located approximately 100 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, and about 175 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama.
According to the hurricane center, a tropical storm warning is in effect for the Florida-Alabama border west to the Jefferson-Plaquemines parish border in Louisiana.
Tropical Storm #Bertha Advisory 8A (7 AM CDT, Tue Jul 21): NOAA Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Currently Investigating Bertha. Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings Remain in Effect for Portions of the Northern Gulf Coast. https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) July 21, 2026
A tropical storm watch remained in effect for the Bay-Gulf county lines in Florida to the Florida-Alabama border and west of the Jefferson-Plaquemines parish border to Morgan City, Louisiana.
The hurricane center will issue its next advisory at 11 a.m. ET.
Original report: In its 5 a.m. ET advisory on Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said that Bertha had strengthened and had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
The storm was located approximately 110 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, and about 170 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama.
Bertha was moving northwest at 5 mph, the hurricane center said.
Here are the 7/21 4am CDT Key Messages for Tropical Storm #Bertha.
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) July 21, 2026
As always, you can find the latest advisory at https://t.co/jigeOJBJ7U. pic.twitter.com/JDJWhAJ94e
According to the hurricane center, a tropical storm warning is in effect for the Florida-Alabama border west to the Jefferson-Plaquemines parish borders in Louisiana. A warning is also in effect for the metropolitan New Orleans area, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas, according to the hurricane center.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for the Bay-Gulf county lines in Florida to the Florida-Alabama border and west of the Jefferson-Plaquemines parish border to Morgan City, Louisiana.
The hurricane center will issue an intermediate advisory at 8 a.m. ET, followed by a full advisory at 11 a.m. ET.
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