Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall near New Orleans on Wednesday, lashing the Gulf Coast with heavy rain and gusty winds. But the storm’s worst weather, forecasters say, is expected more than 800 miles inland.
Thursday, the system is headed toward Houston, but the real danger lurks in North Carolina and southern Virginia. The National Weather Service warned of flash flooding and possible tornadoes there, as the storm’s remnants interact with a stalled front.
It’s a strange twist: the storm’s center weakened over land, yet its moisture plume travels far. Communities in the Carolinas are bracing for up to 10 inches of rain. Some areas already saw flooding from previous storms.
Residents in New Orleans, meanwhile, are cleaning up. Bertha brought down trees and caused power outages, but the city’s levees held. “We dodged a bullet,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. But the threat isn’t over—not by a long shot.
In North Carolina, emergency managers are urging preparedness. Sandbags are being filled. Shelters are opening. The storm’s reach is a reminder: tropical weather doesn’t always stay coastal.
