MIAMI -- Tropical Storm Bertha is expected to remain offshore as it passes the Florida Panhandle Gulf Coast, along with its strongest winds. But peripheral impacts including dangerous beach conditions and minor coastal flooding as well as dangerous marine conditions are expected overnight. Isolated areas could see rainfall up to four inches through Wednesday.

Right now (4 pm CT) Bertha is centered about 105 miles WSW of Panama City, with top winds of 60. Gusts as high as 57 mph have been reported at Panama City Beach.

Here is the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS SPREADING WESTWARD ALONG COASTAL

PORTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...

...TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS EXTENDED WESTWARD ALONG THE

LOUISIANA COAST...

SUMMARY OF 400 PM CDT...2100 UTC...INFORMATION

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LOCATION...29.4N 87.2W

ABOUT 105 MI...170 KM WSW OF PANAMA CITY FLORIDA

ABOUT 105 MI...170 KM SSE OF MOBILE ALABAMA

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...60 MPH...95 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 305 DEGREES AT 6 MPH...9 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...995 MB...29.39 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS

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CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

The Tropical Storm Warning has been extended westward to Morgan

City, Louisiana.

The Tropical Storm Watch has been upgraded to a Tropical Storm

Warning for Metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain.

The Tropical Storm Watch has been extended westward to Cameron,

Louisiana.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

* Bay/Gulf County Line in Florida to Morgan City, Louisiana

* Metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...

* West of Morgan City, Louisiana, to Cameron, Louisiana

* Lake Maurepas

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are

expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are

possible within the watch area, in this case in the next 24 to 48

hours.

For storm information specific to your area, including possible

inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your

local National Weather Service forecast office.

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK

----------------------

At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Bertha was

located near latitude 29.4 North, longitude 87.2 West. Bertha is

moving toward the northwest near 6 mph (9 km/h). A turn toward the

west-northwest and west is expected tonight, with a continued

westward motion forecast Wednesday through Friday. On the forecast

track, Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during

the next couple of days or so.

Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher gusts.

Little change in strength is expected tonight, and gradual weakening

is forecast Wednesday through Friday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 km)

from the center. A National Ocean Service station in Panama City

Beach, Florida, reported sustained winds of 45 mph (72 km/h) and a

gust of 57 mph (92 km/h) during the past few hours.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 995 mb (29.39 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

----------------------

Key messages for Tropical Storm Bertha can be found in the Tropical

Cyclone Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT2 and WMO header

WTNT42 KNHC.

WIND: Tropical storm conditions will continue spreading across

portions of the northern Gulf Coast within the warning area tonight

through Wednesday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within

the watch area in Louisiana by Wednesday night.

STORM SURGE: The combination of storm surge and the tide will

cause normally dry areas near the immediate coast to be flooded by

rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could

reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated

areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA to MS/AL Border...2-4 ft

Cameron, LA to Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA...1-3 ft

MS/AL Border to Aucilla River, FL...1-3 ft

Lake Pontchartrain...1-3 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast.

Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge

and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. For

information specific to your area, please see products issued by

your local National Weather Service forecast office.

For a complete depiction of areas at risk of storm surge inundation,

please see the National Weather Service Peak Storm Surge Graphic,

available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?peakSurge.

RAINFALL: Bertha is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 2

to 4 inches with isolated higher totals around 6 inches through

Thursday along the central Gulf Coast from western Florida into

southern Louisiana. This rainfall may produce isolated flash

flooding, especially in urban areas.

For a complete depiction of forecast rainfall associated with

Bertha, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall

Graphic available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?rainqpf and

the Flash Flood Risk graphic at

hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?ero.

SURF: Swells generated by Bertha will continue spreading westward

along the northern Gulf Coast during the next few days. These swells

are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current

conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found

at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?ripCurrents

Photo Credit: NHC

Operation Storm Watch