Tropical Storm Bertha strengthens, slows down as it moves further away from South Florida

The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Bertha has strengthened and slowed down as it continues to move further away from South Florida.

As of late Tuesday morning, Tropical Storm Bertha had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving to the north-northwest at 3 mph.

The official forecast track of Tropical Storm Bertha has shifted slightly north, and the storm is expected to continue to ride near or along the Gulf Coast during the week.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from Panama City on the Florida Panhandle to the Terrebonne/Lafourche Parish line in Louisiana.

New Orleans is currently under a tropical storm watch.

The storm surge watch has also been dropped and was replaced with a coastal flood warning for the coastline in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana.

A storm surge of 1-4 feet is possible along some of the Gulf coast, and 2-4 inches of rain is also expected with some isolated totals of 6 inches possible.