Tropical Storm Bertha forms, treks along Gulf Coast
Monday night forecast
Tropical Storm Bertha has formed off the Gulf Coast and is slowly meandering westward. The FOX 5 Storm Team is tracking that and the threat of storms this week at home. Here's the latest.
ATLANTA - Tropical Storm Bertha packed 40 mph winds about 110 miles south of Panama City on Monday night, threatening the Gulf Coast with storm surge and torrential rain.
Tropical Storm Bertha forms
What we know:
Tropical Storm Bertha strengthened over the northern Gulf of Mexico about 110 miles south of Panama City, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. The slow-moving system drifted west-northwest at 3 mph, prompting tropical storm watches from the Florida Panhandle to southeastern Louisiana.
Coastal areas from the Alabama border to Louisiana face potential storm surge flooding between 2 and 4 feet above ground level during high tide. Forecasters expect hazardous beach conditions, deadly rip currents, and high surf reaching up to 10 feet along parts of the coastline.
Gulf coast rain warnings
What we don't know:
Meteorologists cannot yet determine the exact landfall location as light steering currents leave room for track variations along the coastline. It remains uncertain whether the storm center will remain just offshore or push inland across the northern coast.
Forecasters also do not know if strong northeasterly wind shear will completely destroy the system's vertical structure before it reaches Texas later in the week.
Regional flooding hazard details
By the numbers:
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center, while minimum central pressure measured 1,004 millibars. Peak winds could reach 45 mph within 36 hours as the system moves slowly toward land.
Rainfall totals are forecast between 2 and 4 inches across the region, with isolated spots receiving up to 8 inches through Friday.
Coastal forecast and outlook
What's next:
The storm will move slowly northwest on Tuesday morning before turning westward toward the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts through Wednesday.
A weakening trend is expected after the storm moves inland, but the system will remain an active rainmaker while moving along the Interstate 10 corridor.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 Storm Team meteorologist Jonathan Stacey, who tracked the storm broadcast, as well as advisories from the National Hurricane Center and local National Weather Service statements from Tallahassee, Mobile, and New Orleans.