The National Hurricane Center has issued storm surge watches and warnings for Tropical Storm Bertha, alerting coastal residents to the danger of life-threatening flooding from rising water pushed inland by the storm’s winds.
The NHC posted potential storm surge flooding maps and watch/warning graphics for Bertha, the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. “A storm surge warning indicates there is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area, generally within 36 hours,” the center stated. A storm surge watch covers areas where “life-threatening inundation is possible somewhere within the specified area, generally within 48 hours.”
The NHC cautioned that forecast uncertainty means the actual areas hit by dangerous flooding may not match the mapped zones precisely. “Due to forecast uncertainty, the actual areas that experience life-threatening inundation may differ from the areas shown on this map,” the center noted.
The agency urged immediate compliance with local evacuation orders. “All persons, regardless of whether or not they are in the highlighted areas shown in the graphic, should promptly follow evacuation orders and other instructions from local officials,” the NHC stated.
Residents in potentially affected areas should monitor updates from the National Hurricane Center at hurricanes.gov and follow directives from local emergency management officials as Bertha’s track and intensity forecasts are updated within the next 36 to 48 hours.