Tropical Storm Bertha makes second landfall on Texas coast

Tropical Storm Bertha made its second landfall along the upper Texas coast on Thursday, July 23, 2026, bringing heavy surf, coastal flooding, and gusty winds before weakening to a tropical depression. The storm, which first grazed southern Louisiana on Wednesday, moved ashore approximately 75 miles northeast of Galveston, Texas, in the afternoon. While no deaths or significant structural damage have been reported, the storm disrupted travel, prompted coastal warnings, and caused isolated flooding from Louisiana to Texas.

The National Hurricane Center reported that Bertha, which formed Monday south of the Florida Panhandle, brought tropical storm-force winds extending up to 140 miles from its center. As it approached Texas, the storm was expected to produce 1 to 3 inches of rainfall, with isolated totals up to 4 inches potentially triggering flash flooding in coastal areas. A storm surge of up to 2 feet was also possible along parts of the Gulf Coast. The hurricane center discontinued tropical storm warnings from Sargent, Texas, to the Louisiana line by Thursday evening as the system weakened, with maximum sustained winds dropping below 38 mph. Forecasters expected the storm to...