Tropical Storm Bertha threatens Gulf Coast with heavy rain, storm surge as heat wave grips Texas

Storm track and timing

Tropical Storm Bertha, the second named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, was centered about 105 miles (170 km) south-southeast of Mobile, Alabama, at 7 p.m. CDT Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm packed maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and was moving west at 6 mph. NWS meteorologist Michael Buchanan said Bertha is expected to make landfall in a sparsely populated area of Louisiana, southeast of New Orleans, overnight Wednesday into Thursday. The NHC forecasts a gradual weakening of the system through Friday.

The storm will come ashore overnight Wednesday to Thursday in a sparsely populated area of Louisiana, southeast of New Orleans.

Rainfall and flooding threats

The main threat from Bertha is heavy rainfall, with forecasts calling for 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) of rain from western Florida to southern Louisiana, and locally up to 6 inches (15 cm) in some areas, according to the NHC and Bloomberg. Jamie Rhome of the NHC noted that the most violent part of the system may remain over Gulf waters, but urban flash flooding remains a concern. Rainfall could persist into Thursday morning. Tropical storm warnings stretched from Florida's Panhandle westward into coastal Louisiana, including metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain, and the hurricane center warned of dangerous surf and rip currents for summer vacationers.

The most violent part of the system may stay over the Gulf waters.

Coastal surge and Chevron response

A storm surge of up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) is possible from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama-Mississippi border, with lower levels forecast for Florida and Alabama. Chevron said it was shutting in production at its Petronius facility in the Gulf and moving all associated personnel onshore, while also transporting nonessential workers from two other platforms. Authorities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida distributed sandbags to residents and posted red flags on beaches to warn of rip currents.

Severe weather in the Northeast

A separate weather system is bringing severe thunderstorms from the Ohio Valley into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with damaging wind gusts and possible tornadoes, the National Weather Service said. New York City had been under a tornado watch Tuesday night, but it was rescinded. Tornadoes remain possible in the Tennessee Valley and Mid-Atlantic. Heavy rainfall in areas already saturated by recent wet weather increases the risk of flash flooding.

Heat wave compounds risks

Bloomberg reported that Texas and Louisiana are also facing a heat wave, creating a dangerous combination of extreme temperatures and storm conditions. The dual threats complicate emergency response and increase health risks for residents. Earlier this season, Tropical Storm Arthur brought heavy rain to the southeastern U.S., and NOAA predicts a milder Atlantic hurricane season overall but does not rule out dangerous weather events.