Tropical Storm Bertha path tracker: See where the storm is headed

Tropical Storm Bertha continues to spin toward the northwest, with tropical storm watches and warnings remaining in effect for portions of the northern Gulf Coast.

According to an early morning advisory from the National Hurricane Center on Tuesday, July 21, Bertha is located about 170 miles southwest of Mobile, Alabama with maximum sustained winds near 50 mph with higher gusts. Forecasters said some "slight strengthening" is possible later Tuesday, followed by gradual weakening through the middle of the week.

The hurricane center said in the advisory a "slow northwestward to west-northwestward motion" is expected Tuesday followed by a turn westward by the middle part of the week. Forecasters said Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf coast during the next several days.

Bertha is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches, with isolated higher totals around 6 inches, through Thursday along the Gulf Coast and adjacent inland locations from western Florida into southern Louisiana, including southern portions of Alabama and Mississippi, the NHC said. The rainfall may produce areas of flash flooding, especially in urban areas.

Additionally, swells generated by Bertha are expected to affect portions of the Gulf coast of Florida and are likely to spread westward through the week, forecasters said, with these swells likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Tropical storm watches were in effect along the Gulf Coast, where strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous surf conditions could develop late July 20 into July 21, according to the hurricane center. A storm surge watch was in effect from the Alabama-Florida border to the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Tropical Storm Bertha path tracker

This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time.

Tropical Storm Bertha spaghetti models

Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest-performing models to help make its forecasts.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].