Will the Gulf Coast tropical depression turn into storm Bertha? Here’s the forecast from NOAA’s hurricane tracker
Summer 2026 has been filled with one extreme weather event after the other, from massive heatwaves and Canadian wildfires to flooding. Now, brace yourself for hurricane season.
Tropical depression in the Gulf
Tropical Depression Two has formed along the Gulf Coast off Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
As of Monday morning, the storm, located 110 miles south of Panama City, Florida, was moving northwest at 3 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, per the NHC.
The depression is expected to gradually strengthen and could bring tropical storm conditions to portions of the Gulf Coast, from the Florida Panhandle westward to southeastern Louisiana, from late Monday into Tuesday. If the depression does develop into a tropical storm, it would be called Bertha, the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
“A Storm Surge Watch has been issued for the Alabama, Mississippi, and southeastern Louisiana coasts, where a life-threatening storm surge is possible,” according to the NOAA. “[Residents of] Louisiana and Texas should monitor the progress of this system, as additional watches could be required for portions of that area later today or Tuesday.”
“Areas of flash flooding will be possible 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 NOAA added.
That storm surge is likely to bring not only heavy rainfall, but also high winds, to Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana coastal areas, according to USA Today.
Tropical Storm Fausto
At the same time, the NHC is issuing an advisory for a second storm in the Pacific, where Tropical Storm Fausto continues to strengthen and is expected to become a hurricane soon.
As of Monday morning, Fausto was at the southern tip of Baja California, traveling west-northwest at 13 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect.
Stay tuned for more weather-related stories, to see what else Mother Nature has in store for this summer.
