Bertha makes 2 Gulf Coast landfalls, causes flooding and beach erosion
The second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season brought storm surge, dangerous surf and heavy rain from Florida to Texas.
Bertha kicked up large waves on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain as gusty winds swept across the New Orleans area during Tropical Storm Bertha’s landfall on July 22.
Tropical Storm Bertha made two landfalls along the Gulf Coast, producing coastal flooding, dangerous surf and significant beach erosion before dissipating over southeastern Texas.
AccuWeather first declared the developing tropical threat as a tropical rainstorm on Saturday, July 18, one day before it became a tropical depression. On Monday evening, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Bertha over the northeastern Gulf.
Bertha first made landfall Wednesday afternoon in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, near the Biloxi Wildlife Management Area, about 40 miles east of New Orleans. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph at landfall.
Although Bertha was a relatively weak and lopsided tropical storm, its impacts extended well beyond its center. Strong winds pushed water from Lake Pontchartrain over the seawall along Lakeshore Drive in New Orleans, overwhelming some drains and flooding portions of the roadway.
“It’s not really the rain causing all of the flooding issues here on Lakeshore Drive, it’s just all the water being pushed in by Bertha up and over the seawall and crashing in,” AccuWeather Correspondent Bill Wadell said.
Farther east, storm surge and large waves caused problems along the Alabama coast. AccuWeather storm chaser Aaron Rigsby reported that at least six vehicles were submerged or buried in sand on the western end of Dauphin Island.
Storm surge and flooding impacts from Tropical Storm Bertha in Dauphin Island, Alabama, on July 22, 2026. (Image: Aaron Rigsby)
Flooding also forced road closures near Dauphin Island, while significant beach erosion left some coastal homes more vulnerable to additional storms later in the hurricane season. Waves reached 9 to 11 feet near Orange Beach, Alabama, where double red flags closed Gulf waters to swimmers because of life-threatening rip currents.
After crossing southeastern Louisiana, Bertha’s center moved back over the warm waters of the Gulf before making a second landfall Thursday near the Texas-Louisiana border. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph at the time.
Wind and waves pound the shore in Orange Beach, Alabama, on July 22, 2026 as Tropical Storm Bertha churns off shore. (Image credit: Orange Beach Surf Rescue)
“The main impact from this storm will be heavy rain along the Gulf Coast from southern Louisiana to eastern Texas,” AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said ahead of the second landfall.
Coastal portions of Texas were expected to receive 2-4 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts possible. Tropical moisture also spread farther inland, raising concerns about localized flash flooding in parts of central and southern Texas.
AccuWeather’s Tony Laubach reported live from the Texas coast as Bertha moved inland following a second landfall on July 23.
Bertha was downgraded to a tropical depression Thursday evening when the center was near Houston. At 7 p.m. CDT, the center was about 10 miles north-northeast of the city with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. All coastal tropical storm watches and warnings were discontinued as the system moved farther inland.
Late Thursday night, Bertha degenerated into a tropical rainstorm as lingering moisture moved across Texas and toward northern Mexico.
Sea turtle nests destroyed by high surf caused by Tropical Storm Bertha on St. George Island, Florida. (Image credit: Kimberly Crossen/St. George Island Sea Turtle Patrol)
Bertha also caused extensive damage to sea turtle nests during what had been a promising nesting season. The Destin-Fort Walton Beach Sea Turtle Patrol said only four of its 22 monitored nests survived the coastal flooding, high surf and erosion. At Alligator Point, Florida, every monitored nest was inundated or washed away.
Bertha was the second named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, arriving along the Gulf Coast about a month after Tropical Storm Arthur caused flooding and tornadoes across the region.
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