Tropical Storm Bertha forms on track approaching US Gulf Coast

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Tropical Storm Bertha formed Monday evening in the Gulf of Mexico south of the Florida Panhandle as it drifts erratically toward populated coastal areas bearing a threat of heavy rain, storm surge and damaging wind gusts, forecasters say.

The center of Bertha was located at about 8 p.m. some 110 miles (180 kilometers) south of Panama City, Florida, in the northern Gulf. Maximum sustained winds were around 40 mph (65 kph) and some additional strengthening is expected as the storm approaches land, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.

The slow-moving storm drifted for hours on Monday, but is expected to stay near or along the northern Gulf Coast early this week, unleashing heavy rain on coastal areas of northern Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana as it pushes west toward Texas.

Bertha is the second tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Tropical Storm Arthur last month brought heavy rainfall to the southeastern United States.

The storm was generally moving west-northwest near 3 mph (6 kph) and expected to make a more northwe...