On Sunday, the second tropical depression of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season officially formed. The system is trying to strengthen and could become Bertha today as it moves slowly across the northeastern Gulf.

The slow movement of this storm is due to it being trapped between two high-pressure systems: one over the western Atlantic and another extending toward the central United States. The system is expected to move slightly to the northwest today and Tuesday. Later Tuesday into Wednesday, it will begin moving westward more rapidly.

For now, the official track and our WeatherRadar indicate that the storm will move into southeastern Louisiana near the mouth of the Mississippi River Wednesday, moving along the southern Louisiana coast on Thursday before fading over eastern Texas later this week.

This storm is moving through warm waters, with temperatures even above the seasonal average, ranging from 85 to 87 °F. These temperatures are fueling the system. Although there are signs that wind shear will increase in this region—which would limit the storm’s intensification—we must remain very vigilant about its development. Torrential rain, storm surge, and strong winds are expected, especially along the Gulf Coast. Flooding could become a serious issue with this slow-moving system.