Bertha Brings Tropical Storm Warning to All Three Coast Counties
All three of Mississippi's coastal counties — Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson — are under a tropical storm warning as Tropical Storm Bertha moves along the central Gulf Coast, the National Weather Service announced Tuesday.
As of the National Hurricane Center's Wednesday morning advisory, Bertha was located about 60 miles south of Pascagoula, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. Tropical storm conditions were already spreading across portions of the northern Gulf Coast within the warning area, which stretches from the western Florida Panhandle across coastal Alabama and Mississippi into southeastern Louisiana.
A coastal flood warning is also in effect for the Mississippi coast, where moderate coastal flooding is possible in low-lying areas. The Hurricane Center forecasts storm surge of 2 to 4 feet from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Mississippi-Alabama border. Rainfall totals of 1 to 4 inches are expected — up to 6 inches in the strongest thunderstorms — along with rough surf and a high risk of rip currents at the beaches through at least Thursday.
Forecasters expect slow weakening as Bertha tracks west along the coast, with the storm moving fully inland within about 48 hours before dissipating.
Residents can follow official updates from the National Hurricane Center at nhc.noaa.gov and from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. Bertha arrives just weeks after the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur brought severe storms, tornadoes, and flash flooding to Mississippi — damage for which Governor Tate Reeves has requested a Major Disaster Declaration covering eight counties.