Tropical Storm Bertha Hits Land and Causes Coastal Flooding

Tropical Storm Bertha hit land for the second time near the Texas-Louisiana border after skirting southern Louisiana. Its slow movement generated strong waves and some flooding along the Gulf Coast of the U.S.

Forecast and Impact

Meteorologists warned of potential additional flooding as heavy rains moved inland towards southeast Texas. As of Thursday afternoon, Bertha was moving inland about 75 miles northeast of Galveston, Texas, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Three hours later, it maintained its tropical storm status, though its maximum sustained winds had decreased to 40 mph. The storm was expected to weaken further overnight.

SpaceX Launch Affected

The dense clouds from Bertha forced SpaceX to postpone a planned Starship rocket launch on Thursday night from the southern tip of Texas. The test flight, which would have brushed space, was rescheduled for Friday due to a forecast of clear skies.

Coastal Flooding and Rainfall

Since Bertha formed Monday in the Gulf of Mexico, no deaths or significant damages have been reported. It caused coastal flooding when it first made landfall Wednesday in Louisiana, southwest of New Orleans, but the heaviest rains remained over the Gulf. These rains began moving inland along the southeastern Texas coast on Thursday.

A tropical storm warning remained in effect from Sargent, Texas, to the border of Vermilion and Cameron parishes in Louisiana. The hurricane center indicated Bertha could still produce storm surges up to 2 feet and isolated flash floods from heavy rains in coastal and southern Texas.

Wind and Weather Conditions

On Thursday, tropical storm-force winds extended up to 140 miles from the center of the system. However, experts anticipated the storm to weaken as it moved over Texas and dissipate by Friday.

Galveston’s Response and Operations

In Galveston, a city of 53,000 southeast of Houston, local officials advised residents to prepare for a “windy day” and secure outdoor objects that could become projectiles. The Galveston Historic Seaport canceled boat tours as a precaution but otherwise operated normally, according to employee Jesi Hahn.

“We will definitely be open,” Hahn said. “We usually close for major hurricanes.” At the nearby Harbor House Hotel and Marina, employee Justin Timber reported no canceled reservations, stating, “It seems like a normal day. Restaurants are full. Everything is great.”

Minor Damage in Florida

Power outages along the coast were minimal, according to poweroutage.us. Yet Bertha’s passage caused some damage. In Pensacola, Florida, authorities closed an area around a damaged pier, said Mayor D.C. Reeves on Facebook, sharing a photo showing a damaged support structure and fence.

Earlier in the week, strong winds had knocked down a Waffle House sign onto a car in Panama City Beach, Florida. Strong surf and rip currents had prompted warnings along Gulf Coast beaches, advising swimmers to stay out of the water.

Atlantic Hurricane Season

Bertha is the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. In June, Tropical Storm Arthur brought heavy rains to the southeastern U.S. Meanwhile, in the eastern Pacific, Hurricane Fausto was moving away from land, located over 1,000 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. Fausto’s waves could cause strong surf and potentially deadly rip currents in parts of southern California.

This article was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative AI tool.