4 hours ago - News
Tropical Storm Bertha makes landfall in south Louisiana
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall around 2pm Wednesday in St. Bernard Parish.
Why it matters: The worst of the storm stayed offshore, and Louisiana officials called the preparation work a good "dry run" for the rest of hurricane season.
The big picture: Gov. Jeff Landry said leaders were initially concerned about the path of the storm because early projections had it coming over New Orleans.
- "We know that the city of New Orleans is the most vulnerable city in the state to excessive rainfall events," Landry said at a press conference Wednesday.
- He said his office has been more proactive since Hurricane Francine about reaching out to the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board and making sure the pumps are manned and operating.
- "I think this was a great exercise in understanding what vulnerabilities the city still has," he said.
Zoom in: Bertha made landfall about 40 miles east of New Orleans, the National Hurricane Center said.
- Much of Southeast Louisiana, including the New Orleans metro, was under a tropical storm warning Wednesday, with coastal flooding, rain and gusty winds possible.
- Bertha had 45 mph winds at landfall, and forecasters expect it to maintain its strength as it moves west along the Gulf Coast.
- On the current track, the storm is expected to reach metro Houston on Thursday and then dissipate as it moves inland.
Go deeper: Track Bertha via the National Hurricane Center