Tropical Storm Bertha Closes Gulf Coast Beaches as Louisiana Landfall Nears/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Tropical Storm Bertha moved slowly along the Gulf Coast Wednesday, closing beaches, parks and piers from Florida to Mississippi. Strong winds and storm surge posed the main threats, with coastal Louisiana potentially facing water levels up to 4 feet above normal. Bertha was expected to make landfall later Wednesday, but its wide wind field was already affecting areas far from its center.
Quick Look
- Tropical Storm Bertha was moving west toward Louisiana at 6 mph.
- Maximum sustained winds reached 50 mph.
- Tropical-storm-force winds extended about 100 miles from Bertha’s center.
- Warnings covered parts of the Florida Panhandle, Mississippi and Louisiana.
- New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain were included in the warning area.
- Louisiana could experience a storm surge of up to 4 feet.
- Forecasters expected 2 to 4 inches of rain, with higher isolated totals.
- Beaches, parks, piers and some low-lying roads were closed.
- Officials opened sandbag distribution locations in Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.
- Bertha is the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Deep Look
Tropical Storm Bertha Approaches Louisiana
Tropical Storm Bertha crawled along the Gulf Coast toward Louisiana on Wednesday, producing strong winds well beyond its center and forcing beach closures from Florida to Mississippi.
The National Hurricane Center said Bertha was approximately 55 miles northeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River by midmorning.
The storm was moving west at 6 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
Landfall was expected later Wednesday, but forecasters said the precise location where the storm’s center crossed the coast was less important than its broad wind field.
“Landfall really doesn’t have a whole lot of meaning in this particular case,” said Robbie Berg, a warning coordination meteorologist at the hurricane center.
Tropical-Storm-Force Winds Extend 100 Miles
Bertha’s tropical-storm-force winds reached about 100 miles from its center, allowing the system to affect a wide section of the northern Gulf Coast.
A tropical storm warning extended from parts of the Florida Panhandle through coastal Mississippi and into Louisiana. Metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain were included.
Officials closed beaches, parks and piers across the region. Some low-lying roads were also shut because of potential flooding.
Double-red flags were displayed at some beaches, prohibiting swimmers from entering the water.
Louisiana Faces Storm Surge Threat
Forecasters said the storm’s greatest threats were strong winds and rising coastal water.
A storm surge as high as 4 feet was possible along the Louisiana coast between the mouth of the Mississippi River and the Alabama-Mississippi state line.
Bertha was also expected to produce between 2 and 4 inches of rain, with higher amounts possible in isolated locations.
Heavy rain could create additional problems in parts of coastal Mississippi still recovering from flooding caused by Tropical Storm Arthur in June.
Officials Distribute Sandbags
Authorities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida established sandbag distribution sites for residents in areas vulnerable to flooding.
Businesses and residents along the coast prepared for Bertha while tourists adjusted their plans because of the storm.
“For locals, this is just another storm,” said Candice Henderson, manager of the Crab Trap restaurant on Perdido Key near Pensacola, Florida. “When you’re on vacation and it’s raining, you either shop or you go out to eat.”
The beachside restaurant remained crowded Tuesday despite the approaching storm.
Bertha Is Atlantic Season’s Second Tropical Storm
Bertha is the second tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Tropical Storm Arthur formed in June and brought heavy rain to the southeastern United States. The storm damaged and destroyed homes in parts of the region, including coastal Mississippi.
Bertha’s expected rainfall could complicate recovery efforts in communities still dealing with Arthur’s effects.
Severe Storms Strike Other Parts of US
While Bertha affected the Gulf Coast, another series of storms generated reports of tornadoes from the Cincinnati area to New Jersey.
Torrential rain also caused flash flooding in West Virginia on Tuesday night. Authorities said homes were flooded, bridges were washed out and emergency crews carried out water rescues.
Hurricane Fausto Churns in Eastern Pacific
Hurricane Fausto remained far from land in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
The storm was located hundreds of miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.
Forecasters expected Fausto to strengthen gradually. Although the hurricane did not pose an immediate landfall threat, its ocean swells could create life-threatening surf and rip-current conditions along the Baja California coast.
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