Tropical Storm Bertha crossed into Louisiana on Wednesday and is bearing down on Texas, where it will make landfall Thursday evening with heavy rain, strong winds, and coastal flooding in its path.
The National Hurricane Center reported Thursday morning that Bertha was tracking west toward the upper Texas coast, expected to arrive by late Thursday before weakening over inland Texas by Friday. Maximum sustained winds held at 45 mph with higher gusts, though the system should lose tropical storm strength once it moves inland.
Tropical storm warnings blanket the Gulf Coast from Morgan City, Louisiana, through Sargent, Texas. Lower St Mary Parish in Louisiana faces a coastal flood warning, with forecasters predicting 2 to 3 feet of inundation along the shoreline that could swamp homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure in low-lying zones.
The combination of storm surge and tidal forces will push water inland into areas that normally stay dry. The Houston/Galveston National Weather Service office warned that coastal counties could see wind gusts at lower tropical storm strength, with inland areas experiencing gusts between 20 and 30 mph as the day unfolds.
Rain will be substantial across the Texas Gulf Coast and South Texas region. The hurricane center expects 2 to 4 inches of rainfall through Thursday night, with isolated areas receiving as much as 6 inches. The moisture and ground saturation could trigger flash flooding in urban areas, particularly where drainage systems are overwhelmed.
Bertha's ocean swells are already spreading westward along the northern Gulf Coast, creating dangerous surf and rip currents that forecasters say pose life-threatening conditions for anyone entering the water. Swimmers and boaters should stay ashore during the storm's passage.
AccuWeather's lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva characterized the primary threats as locally heavy rainfall, coastal wind gusts, and storm surge capable of producing localized coastal flooding. The impacts will be most severe within a few miles of the immediate shoreline, though interior areas will still experience gusty conditions and heavy rain bands.
The storm's rapid weakening over Texas should limit the duration of the worst conditions. Most tropical storm warnings are expected to expire as Bertha moves inland and breaks apart, though moisture from the system may linger and produce scattered showers into Friday.
Author James Rodriguez: "Bertha's a manageable storm, but coastal Louisiana and Texas residents can't ignore the surge and rainfall threat, especially in areas that flood easily."
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