Tropical Storm Bertha was moving a little south of west over southeastern Louisiana as of Wednesday evening. Image courtesy of NOAA.
July 22 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Bertha moved somewhat westward over southeast Louisiana on Wednesday evening, hours after it made landfall over the state.
The center of the storm was about 40 miles southwest of New Orleans and about 165 miles east-southeast of Lake Charles, La., the National Hurricane Center said in its 7 p.m. CDT update. The storm was traveling west at 7 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, marking no change in strength or direction.
There was a tropical storm warning in effect from the Alabama/Florida line west to Cameron, La., metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. A tropical storm watch was in place from west of Cameron, La., to Sargent, Texas and Lake Maurepas.
The NHC said a faster westward or west-southwestward track is expected for Bertha over the next day or so.
“On the forecast track, the center of Bertha will move near or along the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts through Thursday, and then move farther inland into Texas Thursday night,” the NHC said.
Little change in strength in the storm is expected over the next day or so. Bertha is expected to maintain tropical storm intensity until it reaches the upper Texas coast on Thursday. It’s expected to dissipate inland over Texas by Thursday night or Friday.
Bertha, which formed Monday night, is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches with isolated higher totals through Thursday along the central Gulf Coast from western Florida into southern Louisiana. This could produce isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas, the NHC said.
Surf conditions caused by Bertha will continue spreading west along the northern Gulf Coast, with swells likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions