Tropical Storm Bertha moves toward Texas coast after Louisiana landfall

Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon and is moving westward toward the Texas coast, where it is expected to arrive later Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center and Guardian reporting. The storm brings tropical-storm-force winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge hazards to the US Gulf Coast.

At 10:00 AM CDT Thursday, the center of Bertha was located near latitude 29.6 North, longitude 93.2 West, approximately 35 miles south of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and about 100 miles northeast of Galveston, Texas, per the National Hurricane Center. Maximum sustained winds are 45 mph with a minimum central pressure of 1004 millibars. Bertha is moving toward the west near 10 mph with some increase in forward speed expected during the next day, and it is expected to dissipate inland over Texas late tonight or Friday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles from the center of Bertha. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Gulf Coast from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Sargent, Texas. The warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 24 hours. The warning east of Morgan City, Louisiana, has been discontinued as of the latest National Hurricane Center advisory.

On the forecast track, the center will move near or along the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts during the next several hours and then move inland over Texas this evening. Little change in strength is expected today, and Bertha is forecast to maintain tropical storm intensity until it reaches the upper Texas coast later today.

Storm surge combined with tide will cause normally dry areas near the immediate coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The National Hurricane Center forecasts storm surge heights of 1 to 2 feet above ground from Port Bolivar, Texas, to Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Bertha is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated totals to 6 inches through Thursday night along the Texas Gulf Coast and South Texas. The National Hurricane Center states that the rainfall may produce isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas.

Swells generated by Bertha are continuing to spread westward along the northern and northwestern Gulf Coast and are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, per the National Hurricane Center.