A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the entire Acadiana Coast per the latest National Hurricane Center Advisory issued at 4pm Tuesday afternoon.
Tropical storm WARNINGS are now in place for Eastern Louisiana west to Morgan City and includes the New Orleans metro area and Lake Ponchartrain.
Tropical Storm Bertha remains an asymmetric (lop-sided) and disorganized tropical storm, with an exposed center north of the main convection as of Tuesday afternoon.
Upper level shear and dry, dusty air intrusion continue to limit the system, with additional strengthening unlikely, and a weakening trend expected to begin within the next 24 hours.
After landfall in Eastern Louisiana midday Wednesday, the storm is still expected to traverse toward the Acadiana Coastal areas Wednesday night into early Thursday, with mostly gusty winds in the coastal areas, where gusts up to 40 mph might be possible.
The NHC risk of tropical storm winds right along the immediate coast looks to be near 30% or less.
Minimal impacts are expected for most of inland Acadiana.
The highest winds inland for Acadiana will be near 10-15 mph with a few gusts pushing 30 mph in and near tropical showers/storms that may develop.
Rainfall will not be an issue either with the bulk of the tropical rains manifesting well offshore.
The heaviest/intense storms usually associated with a tropical system will be found well offshore thanks to the continued upper shear, but a few scattered tropical showers and/or thunderstorms may be possible overnight into Wednesday and Thursday as well.
Some of these storms may contain strong and gusty downburst winds.
Rain chances will be near 30% Wednesday, 50% Thursday dropping back down Friday into the weekend.
Meanwhile, in the near term, the NWS has issued a relatively rare EXTREME HEAT WARNING for Acadiana Wednesday.
Highs will be in the mid-upper 90s with heat index values reaching between 113°-117°.
After Bertha's passage, Acadiana will resume a normal summer pattern with more hot conditions into next week.
See the KATC 10 Day Forecast for the latest and stay with KATC should there be any changes regarding Bertha.
