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Tropical Storm Bertha is messy and lopsided. That’s important.

Published July 22, 2026 · Updated July 22, 2026 · By William Lopez - cybersecarmor.com

Foto : William Lopez - cybersecarmor.com

Tropical Storm Bertha is messy and lopsided: re Offers Hope for Gulf Coast Residents Cybersecarmor.com – Coastal communities throughout the Gulf region

Bertha's Unconventional Structure Offers Hope for Gulf Coast Residents

Cybersecarmor.com – Coastal communities throughout the Gulf region are monitoring Tropical Storm Bertha's progress as it travels parallel to the shoreline. While residents should remain vigilant regarding potential wind damage, precipitation, and rising waters, several meteorological indicators suggest this system may not replicate the destructive patterns of previous major Gulf hurricanes.

What Makes Bertha Different

Satellite imagery reveals Bertha's distinctly asymmetrical appearance, a characteristic that could prove beneficial for populations in hurricane-vulnerable areas. The developing storm currently experiences wind shear that experts anticipate will hinder its transformation into a powerful hurricane—a scenario that occasionally unfolds when systems rapidly intensify in Gulf waters near the coastline.

During a briefing on July 21 afternoon, Jamie Rhome, who serves as deputy director at the National Hurricane Center, indicated that Bertha had probably reached its maximum strength at that moment.

Wind shear is expected to increase overnight July 21 and into July 22, said the National Weather Service office in New Orleans. Those winds are likely to cause Bertha to weaken, and keep the heaviest rain well to the south and southwest of the New Orleans region, the weather service said.

Forecast Uncertainties Remain

Storm prediction rarely guarantees outcomes, and Bertha demonstrates this unpredictability. The system showed signs of strengthening during the morning hours of July 21, and its projected path moved slightly northward throughout the night. Meteorologists note that while the possibility exists for Bertha to intensify or deliver more severe coastal impacts if its trajectory or power changes, the likelihood of damaging winds or inland flooding continues to diminish.

The National Weather Service provided this general outlook as of July 21, though they cautioned that the storm might weaken sooner than anticipated.

Andy Hazelton, an associate scientist at the University of Miami, explained: "It's kind of a typical pattern for July, these bigger upper level ridges." He noted that because the shear originates from the north, most of the heavy rain or the "dirty side" of the storm remains over the water.

Historical Parallels and Scientific Context

Bertha's eventual development will depend significantly on how extensively it interacts with the coastline while confronting increasingly challenging atmospheric conditions.

Hazelton observed that the battered Bertha resembles a poorly formed Hurricane Barry from July 2019. Like Bertha, Barry also occurred during the beginning of an El Niño, but that El Niño was weaker, Hazelton said. El Niño is known for creating shearing winds that interfere with hurricane development in the Atlantic Ocean.

According to Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami, Bertha receives encouragement from above-average sea surface temperatures within the Gulf basin. However, the storm simultaneously confronts what McNoldy described as "very strong vertical wind shear."

"Overall, a marginal storm in marginal conditions," McNoldy summarized.

Continued Monitoring Efforts

Atmospheric research aircraft are scheduled to conduct Hurricane Hunter flights on the afternoon of July 21 and again on July 22 to gather critical data about Bertha's internal structure and intensity.

While Hazelton acknowledged that "a slight chance" remained on July 21 for Bertha to intensify somewhat, he emphasized that the wind shear conditions are probably deteriorating further.

The name Bertha has accompanied Atlantic weather systems for many decades. Much like numerous predecessors bearing the same designation, Bertha probably won't achieve lasting recognition as a historic storm. Nevertheless, earlier Bertha systems highlight an important meteorological principle: even relatively weak tropical storms possess the capacity to generate fatal consequences for vulnerable populations.

Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about violent weather, climate change and other news. Reach her at dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.

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