NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – NOAA's National Hurricane Center in Miami issued a Public Advisory at 10 p.m. Central Daylight Time on Monday, July 20, 2026, for Tropical Storm Bertha (formerly Tropical Depression Two and Invest 91L). A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from the Alabama/Florida border to the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border in Louisiana. A Storm Surge Watch is in effect from the Alabama/Florida border to the Mouth of the Mississippi River. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from the Bay/Gulf County line in Florida westward to the Florida/Alabama border; west of the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border to Morgan City, Louisiana; and Metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas. NOAA National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Bertha Projected Path [caption id="attachment_11651" align="aligncenter" width="897"] NOAA National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Bertha Projected Path[/caption] Tropical Storm Bertha is located near latitude 28.2° North and longitude 85.9° West in the northern Gulf of Mexico and is currently stationary. NHC forecasters say Bertha is expected to move generally west-northwestward along or near the northern Gulf Coast over the next several days. Tropical storm conditions are possible along portions of the northern Gulf Coast. Longer-range guidance indicates the system will likely track along or near the northern Gulf Coast toward Louisiana, Mississippi, and possibly southeast Texas later in the week. Tropical Storm Bertha Computer Models [caption id="attachment_11650" align="aligncenter" width="1066"] Tropical Storm Bertha Computer Models, Spaghetti Models[/caption] Computer models, often referred to as spaghetti models, show Tropical Storm Bertha generally moving slowly westward along the northern Gulf Coast. There is still considerable spread in both the forecast track and forward speed among the models. The official NHC track forecast is similar to the previous NHC prediction, on the southern side of the guidance suite and close to the Google DeepMind ensemble mean. The ECMWF European model and Canadian model bring the track inland along the northern Gulf Coast. Tropical Storm Bertha Strength [caption id="attachment_11648" align="aligncenter" width="897"] NOAA National Hurricane Center Tropical Storm Bertha Wind Arrival Time[/caption] Tropical Storm Bertha has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (64 km/h) with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is possible over the next day or so. NOAA forecasts a "below-normal" 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs from June 1 through November 30. [caption id="attachment_8226" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] NOAA historical hurricane data showing peak season and storm frequency.[/caption] Although peak hurricane season is not until September, hurricane and tropical storm activity is possible throughout July and typically increases as the season progresses toward its climatological peak in mid-September, according to NOAA and the National Weather Service's historical hurricane activity data.