296
WTUS82 KTAE 211509
HLSTAE
FLZ007>019-027>029-034-108-112-114-115-118-127-128-134-326-426-212315-
TROPICAL STORM BERTHA LOCAL STATEMENT ADVISORY NUMBER 9
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL AL022026
1109 AM EDT TUE JUL 21 2026 /1009 AM CDT TUE JUL 21 2026/
THIS PRODUCT COVERS EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE, FLORIDA BIG BEND, SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA
**AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTERS FIND BERTHA HAS STRENGTHENED**
NEW INFORMATION
---------------
* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS:
- THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM
WARNING FOR COASTAL BAY AND SOUTH WALTON
* CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS:
- A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL BAY AND SOUTH
WALTON
* STORM INFORMATION:
- ABOUT 70 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF PANAMA CITY OR ABOUT 80 MILES
WEST-SOUTHWEST OF APALACHICOLA
- 29.3N 86.3W
- STORM INTENSITY 60 MPH
- MOVEMENT NORTH-NORTHWEST OR 345 DEGREES AT 3 MPH
SITUATION OVERVIEW
------------------
...TROPICAL STORM WATCH UPGRADED TO WARNING FOR COASTAL WALTON AND
COASTAL BAY COUNTIES...
BERTHA HAS JOGGED A BIT TO THE NORTH SINCE THE LAST ADVISORY BUT IS
EXPECTED TO BEGIN A NORTHWEST TO WEST-NORTHWEST MOTION THIS AFTERNOON
FOLLOWED BY A TURN WESTWARD AROUND WEDNESDAY. ON THIS FORECAST TRACK,
THE CORE OF TROPICAL STORM BERTHA IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN OFFSHORE AS IT
PASSES SOUTH OF THE PANHANDLE.
AS OF 10 AM CDT, MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE NEAR 60 MPH, AND FORWARD
MOTION WAS TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AT 3 MPH. THOSE STRONGEST WINDS WILL
REMAIN OFFSHORE, BUT PERIPHERAL IMPACTS AROUND THE EDGE OF BERTHA WILL
BE EXPERIENCED IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING.
IMPACTS INCLUDE DANGEROUS BEACH CONDITIONS FROM RIP CURRENTS AND VERY
ROUGH SURF, MINOR COASTAL FLOODING, DANGEROUS MARINE CONDITIONS FROM
LARGE WAVES AND STRONG WINDS, AND GUSTY WINDS IN SQUALLS.
STORM SURGE ALONG THE COAST OF APALACHEE BAY WEST OF THE AUCILLA RIVER
WILL BRING 1 TO 3 FEET OF INUNDATION OVER NORMALLY DRY GROUND NEAR THE
SHORELINE DURING TIMES OF HIGH TIDE THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. WEST OF
INDIAN PASS, INCLUDING THE COASTS OF GULF, BAY, AND WALTON COUNTIES,
STORM SURGE INUNDATION OF 1 TO 2 FEET IS EXPECTED OVER NORMALLY DRY
GROUND NEAR THE SHORELINE DURING TIMES OF HIGH TIDE THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MORNING.
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-10 IN FLORIDA.
ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES,
WITH ISOLATED SPOTS NEAR 5 INCHES, ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS
-----------------
* WIND:
PROTECT AGAINST HAZARDOUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS
THE PANHANDLE COAST. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE:
- DAMAGE TO PORCHES, AWNINGS, CARPORTS, SHEDS, AND UNANCHORED
MOBILE HOMES. UNSECURED LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECTS BLOWN ABOUT.
- MANY LARGE TREE LIMBS BROKEN OFF. A FEW TREES SNAPPED OR
UPROOTED, BUT WITH GREATER NUMBERS IN PLACES WHERE TREES ARE
SHALLOW ROOTED. SOME FENCES AND ROADWAY SIGNS BLOWN OVER.
- A FEW ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM DEBRIS, PARTICULARLY WITHIN URBAN
OR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ON
BRIDGES AND OTHER ELEVATED ROADWAYS.
- SCATTERED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES.
ELSEWHERE ACROSS EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE, FLORIDA BIG BEND,
SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS
ANTICIPATED.
* FLOODING RAIN:
PREPARE FOR LOCALLY HAZARDOUS RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE
LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE, FLORIDA BIG BEND,
SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA. POTENTIAL IMPACTS
INCLUDE:
- LOCALIZED RAINFALL FLOODING MAY PROMPT A FEW EVACUATIONS.
- RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY QUICKLY RISE WITH SWIFTER CURRENTS.
SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS, AND DITCHES MAY BECOME SWOLLEN AND
OVERFLOW IN SPOTS.
- FLOOD WATERS CAN ENTER A FEW STRUCTURES, ESPECIALLY IN USUALLY
VULNERABLE SPOTS. A FEW PLACES WHERE RAPID PONDING OF WATER
OCCURS AT UNDERPASSES, LOW-LYING SPOTS, AND POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS. SEVERAL STORM DRAINS AND RETENTION PONDS BECOME
NEAR-FULL AND BEGIN TO OVERFLOW. SOME BRIEF ROAD AND BRIDGE
CLOSURES.
* SURGE:
PREPARE FOR LOCALLY HAZARDOUS SURGE HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS
ACROSS THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND BIG BEND COASTS. POTENTIAL IMPACTS
IN THIS AREA INCLUDE:
- LOCALIZED INUNDATION WITH STORM SURGE FLOODING MAINLY ALONG
IMMEDIATE SHORELINES AND IN LOW-LYING SPOTS, OR IN AREAS
FARTHER INLAND NEAR WHERE HIGHER SURGE WATERS MOVE ASHORE.
- SECTIONS OF NEAR-SHORE ROADS AND PARKING LOTS BECOME OVERSPREAD
WITH SURGE WATER. DRIVING CONDITIONS DANGEROUS IN PLACES WHERE
SURGE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
- MODERATE BEACH EROSION. HEAVY SURF ALSO BREACHING DUNES, MAINLY
IN USUALLY VULNERABLE LOCATIONS. STRONG RIP CURRENTS.
- MINOR TO LOCALLY MODERATE DAMAGE TO MARINAS, DOCKS, BOARDWALKS,
AND PIERS. A FEW SMALL CRAFT BROKEN AWAY FROM MOORINGS.
ELSEWHERE ACROSS EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE, FLORIDA BIG BEND,
SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS
ANTICIPATED.
* TORNADOES:
LITTLE TO NO IMPACTS ARE ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME ACROSS EASTERN
FLORIDA PANHANDLE, FLORIDA BIG BEND, SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND
SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
----------------------------------
* EVACUATIONS:
FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS
* OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION:
NOW IS THE TIME TO COMPLETE ALL PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND
PROPERTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN. ENSURE YOU ARE IN A
SAFE LOCATION BEFORE THE ONSET OF STRONG WINDS OR POSSIBLE FLOODING.
KEEP CELL PHONES WELL CHARGED. CELL PHONE CHARGERS FOR AUTOMOBILES
CAN BE HELPFUL, BUT BE AWARE OF YOUR RISK FOR DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE
POISONING IF YOUR CAR IS LEFT IDLING IN A GARAGE OR OTHER POORLY
VENTILATED AREA
IF YOU ARE A VISITOR, BE SURE TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE CITY IN WHICH
YOU ARE STAYING AND THE NAME OF THE COUNTY IN WHICH IT RESIDES.
LISTEN FOR THESE LOCATIONS IN LOCAL NEWS UPDATES. PAY ATTENTION FOR
INSTRUCTIONS FROM LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
STORM SURGE IS THE LEADING KILLER ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORMS AND
HURRICANES! MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN A SAFE AREA AWAY FROM THE SURGE
ZONE.
CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER.GOV, NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS
FOR OFFICIAL STORM INFORMATION. BE READY TO ADAPT TO POSSIBLE CHANGES
TO THE FORECAST. ENSURE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS TO RECEIVE WEATHER
WARNINGS.
* ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
- FOR INFORMATION ON APPROPRIATE PREPARATIONS SEE READY.GOV
- FOR ADDITIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION SEE REDCROSS.ORG
NEXT UPDATE
-----------
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE FL AROUND 4 PM CDT, OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS
WARRANT.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
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