Tropical Storm Bertha is beginning to turn toward the west

Tropical Storm Bertha is beginning to turn toward the west. Tropical storm conditions are spreading over the Florida Panhandle.

The storm, about 200 km southeast of Mobile, Alabama, has winds of 95 km/h.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Bay/Gulf County Line in Florida to the Terrebonne/Lafourche Parish Line in Louisiana.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for West of the Terrebonne/Lafourche Parish Line to the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line in Louisiana Metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas.

Gradual weakening is forecast Wednesday through Friday.

Bertha is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated higher totals around 6 inches through Thursday along the central Gulf Coast from western Florida into southern Louisiana. This rainfall may produce isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas.