Tropical Storm Bertha, the second named tropical cyclone of the Atlantic hurricane season, appears set to pass north of Barbados and through the central Lesser Antilles today and tonight, approaching the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico over the weekend.
Bertha appears "disorganized," according to the National Hurricane Center, and it is expected to encounter unfavorable conditions for strengthening over the next 48-72 hours. After that, Bertha is expected to encounter less shear and greater moisture, which could cause modest strengthening.
As of now, a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for St. Lucia, Dominica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the eastern Dominican Republic from Cabo Frances Viejo to Isla Saona.
Bertha is moving west-northwest at about 21 miles per hour, and that motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. The current five-day track calls for the storm to turn north and northeast, missing the U.S. East Coast.
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.