Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall in Louisiana and was southwest of New Orleans while moving west toward Texas early Thursday morning. The storm was forecast to reach the upper Texas coast on Thursday before dissipating inland in Texas by Friday.

Storm Details

The storm made landfall Wednesday afternoon in St. Bernard Parish about 40 miles east of New Orleans. The storm was about 110 miles southwest of New Orleans and about 120 miles southeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana, moving west at 12 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.

The wind and storm surge were the main threats for the Deep South states. Parks and piers were closed up and down the coast, as were some low-lying roads. A tropical storm warning stretched from Alabama to Louisiana, including New Orleans where extreme heat was adding to misery.

Impact and Preparations

Onlookers watched the storm surge at the Lake Pontchartrain estuary, with kids splashing in the floodwaters as Bertha approached the Louisiana Coast. Residents mowed their lawns even as streets filled up with water. Tropical storm force winds were felt as much as 160 miles from the center of the storm.

Gov. Jeff Landry called the forecast “encouraging” but also warned residents to be prepared for some flooding. Storm surges up to 3 feet were possible in Louisiana and Alabama, forecasters said. Rain totals were forecast between 1 and 4 inches, with higher amounts possible in isolated areas.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.