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Tropical Depression Two Forms in Eastern Gulf, Forecast to Become Storm Bertha
Tropical Depression Two formed Sunday in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and was located about 100 miles south of the eastern Florida Panhandle on Monday morning with 35 mph winds. The system is forecast to become Tropical Storm Bertha later Monday, the second named storm of the 2026 Atlantic season.
Jul 20, 9:48 AM·1m read4 sources
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Tropical Depression Two formed Sunday in the eastern Gulf of Mexico with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and was located about 100 miles south of the eastern Florida Panhandle on Monday morning, New York Post reported. The system is forecast to strengthen into Tropical Storm Bertha later Monday, becoming the second named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season.
A Tropical Storm Watch covers the coast from the Ochlockonee River in the Florida Panhandle to the Mississippi-Alabama border, indicating possible tropical storm conditions into Tuesday.
New York Post reported that the National Hurricane Center warned storm surge along the immediate coast in the watch area could reach 1 to 3 feet. The depression is expected to move slowly northwest along the northern Gulf Coast over the next several days.
Heavy rains from the system's circulation produced 1 to 3 inches in Sarasota and Venice counties, Florida, for the 24 hours ending Sunday morning, with some locations just west of St. Petersburg recording 6 to 7 inches over three days ending Sunday morning.
The National Hurricane Center forecast projects the system to reach tropical-storm strength with 40 mph winds on Monday morning and peak at 60 mph sustained winds by Wednesday and Thursday.
