Baltimore Weather: Tropical Storm Bertha Won't Directly Hit Maryland, Could Bring Unsettled Weather

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BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Tropical Storm Bertha has formed near the coast of South Carolina and could bring some thunderstorms to Maryland.

WJZ Meteorologist Tim Williams said moisture from Bertha will stream towards Maryland and will add a tropical feel to the forecast from Wednesday through Saturday. This will be the first time this Spring that dewpoints and humidity will be an unavoidable part of our weather.

Tropical moisture moving northward from Florida, along with unseasonably warm temperatures, will create instability for Maryland. That will mean afternoons with high temperatures near or above 80° into Saturday and chances each day of afternoon or evening thunderstorms.

Bertha is a minimal Tropical Storm and is not expected to strengthen or make a direct hit to Maryland. The storm will disband as it moves inland.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the coast of South Carolina from Edisto Beach to South Santee River. As of Wednesday morning, Bertha was located about 30 miles east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.

Bertha could bring maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and its currently moving at 9 mph northwest.

The storm is expected to move onshore Wednesday and into west-central North Carolina by Wednesday night when she is expected to weaken to a tropical depression.

Bertha could produce rainfall accumulations of two to four inches with isolated totals of eight inches across some areas of South Carolina, North Carolina and even Virginia.

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