Tropical Storm Bertha brings heavy rain and high winds along Gulf Coast

The Florida Panhandle and coastal areas of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana are bracing for the Atlantic's second named tropical storm of the hurricane season.

Tropical Storm Bertha will bring heavy rains, wind gusts, storm surge, and potential flooding over the next three days.

As of 1 p.m. on Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said that parts of the four states are under a tropical storm warning, with maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour. The storm is expected to travel along the Gulf Coast throughout Wednesday.

The Hurricane Center has cautioned residents about coastal flooding as its surge combines with the normal tide. The Center anticipates an increase of two to four feet of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana to the Mississippi-Alabama border. Other coastal sections can expect an increase of one to three feet of water.

Bertha is predicted to produce two to four inches of rain along the central Gulf Coast, with isolated totals around six inches. The rain could cause flash flooding, especially in urban areas. The National Hurricane Center has also warned that surf swells that could produce life-threatening rip current conditions.

Direct Relief is communicating with partners along the coastal region and monitoring the situation for the storm's potential impacts on medical services and infrastructure.

Tropical storms can decrease mobility and create challenging scenarios for access to medications. Floodwaters and wind can also cause damage to infrastructure that results in power outages and an increased likelihood of first aid needs as people maneuver through the storm. Extended outages can also disrupt clinic operations, compromise temperature-sensitive medicines and prevent electrically powered medical equipment from functioning.

While the Gulf Coast braces for Bertha, the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States is undergoing cooler temperatures with a wave of severe thunderstorms.

Ahead of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, Direct Relief prepositioned emergency medical supplies with healthcare providers across the Southeast, Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. The organization has previously responded to Gulf Coast storms with emergency medicines and medical supplies, hygiene kits, hurricane preparedness packs and backup power resources. Direct Relief supports resilient power for clinics through its Power for Health program.