Tropical Storm Bertha forecast. How to prepare for hurricanes

The second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season formed July 20 as Tropical Depression Two became Tropical Storm Bertha.

As of 8 a.m, July 21, Tropical Storm Bertha was located in the Gulf of Mexico, renamed by the U.S. government as the Gulf of America, about 100 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. It was moving northwest at 5 mph. Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next several days.

Bertha remains on track to bring heavy rain, storm surge and gusty winds to several states along the Gulf Coast over the next couple of days. The storm is expected to continue moving west, but the “forecast track and intensity remain highly uncertain,” the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio warned.

The potential for flooding rain is what worries forecasters most: Bertha “is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated higher totals around 8 inches through Friday along the Gulf Coast and adjacent inland locations from western Florida to the middle Texas coast, including southern portions of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana,” the hurricane center said.

Tropical storm warnings were issued from the Florida-Alabama border into Louisiana. Tropical storm watches were issued as far west as New Orleans.

Will Tropical Storm Bertha become a hurricane?

Though Bertha is strengthening in the Gulf, forecasters are not predicting it will become a hurricane as it continues to battle wind shear.

The wind shear is likely to give the cyclone a very asymmetric structure, with the bulk of the rainfall and much of the wind expected to occur on the southern side of the storm center, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Will the storm impact Delaware?

The storm’s forecast has it remaining in the Gulf region, with no impact forecast for Delaware or the Mid-Atlantic region. However, it’s a good time to review your family’s emergency preparedness plans.

How to prepare for hurricanes

While Bertha is not expected to impact the region, it’s never too early to prepare for a potential hurricane.

“Get your disaster supplies while the shelves are still stocked, and get that insurance checkup early, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommends.

• Develop an evacuation plan: If you are at risk from hurricanes, you need an evacuation plan. Now is the time to begin planning where you would go and how you would get there.
• Assemble disaster supplies: Whether you’re evacuating or sheltering-in-place, you’re going to need supplies not just to get through the storm but for the potentially lengthy aftermath, NOAA said.
• Get an insurance checkup and document your possessions: Contact your insurance company or agent now and ask for an insurance check-up to make sure you have enough insurance to repair or even replace your home and/or belongings. Remember, home and renters insurance doesn’t cover flooding, so you’ll need a separate policy for it. Flood insurance is available through your company, agent, or the National Flood Insurance Program. Act now, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.
• Create a family communication plan: NOAA said to take the time now to write down your hurricane plan, and share it with your family. Determine family meeting places, and make sure to include an out-of-town location in case of evacuation.
• Strengthen your home: Now is the time to improve your home’s ability to withstand hurricane impacts.

What does it take for a storm to become a named storm?

A storm needs to reach tropical storm strength. Here’s a look at the hurricane categories.

Tropical storm

A tropical storm is a tropical cyclone with winds between 39 and 73 mph. These storms bring heavy rains that could lead to dangerous flooding.

Category 1

A Category 1 storm is the weakest of the hurricanes with winds between 74 and 95 mph. The storm will cause some flooding, but no real structural damage.

Category 2

A Category 2 storm has winds between 96 and 110 mph. The storm can cause moderate damage to buildings.

Category 3

A Category 3 storm will have winds from 111 to 129 mph. It can cause major damage to well-built framed homes, uproot trees and cause power and communication outages.

Category 4

A Category 4 storm will have winds of 130 to 156 mph. It can cause catastrophic damage to well-built framed homes, tearing off roofs and breaking exterior walls. Mobile homes are destroyed. Roads are impassible and there are communication and power outages.

Category 5

A Category 5 storm will have winds of 157 mph or greater. It can cause catastrophic damage with most framed homes and mobile homes being destroyed. Trees will be snapped and uprooted. Roads will be impassible and there will be extended power and communication outages.

Was there a change in the 2026 hurricane forecast

Meteorologists from Colorado State University on July 8 said they now expect four fewer storms than initially forecast in the April Atlantic hurricane season outlook.

They also say the average person shouldn’t find much comfort in the new prediction, because any storm that does occur could prove devastating. “Preparations should be made every season, regardless of predicted activity,” the new forecast says.

But the change means the new forecast calls for a “well below-normal season.”

While a typical season sees 14 named storms in the Atlantic, only nine are now forecast for this year. An earlier forecast for the 2026 season, in April, predicted that 13 storms would form.

“We’ve knocked down our numbers more given the increased likelihood for a strong El Niño,” said Colorado State University researcher Phil Klotzbach in an e-mail to USA TODAY.

“This year, with the high likelihood of a strong El Niño, we don’t anticipate much happening in the Atlantic,” he said.

2026 hurricane season storm names

Here’s a list of the names for any tropical storms or hurricanes that do form this summer, and how to pronounce them. Not every letter in the alphabet is used.

• Arthur (used)
• Bertha (used)
• Cristobal
• Dolly
• Edouard
• Fay
• Gonzalo
• Hanna
• Isaias
• Josephine
• Kyle
• Leah
• Marco
• Nana
• Omar
• Paulette
• Rene
• Sally
• Teddy
• Vicky
• Wilfred

The USA Today Network contributed to this story.