On Thursday evening, Bertha was downgraded to a depression, located 10 miles north-northeast of Houston, but it continues to produce rainfall in parts of eastern Texas. The most significant risk for flooding rain is developing several hundred miles to the east.
A surge of tropical moisture associated with Bertha is driving heavy rain along a cold front that spans the Southeast.
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This moisture is set to sustain a risk of flooding rainfall until Friday, extending from North and South Carolina into northern Georgia and Alabama, likely causing greater flooding in these areas than closer to Bertha’s path. Some regions in North Carolina have already experienced a month’s worth of rainfall within just a few days, with more expected.
In southeast Virginia, eastern North Carolina, and eastern Tennessee, heavy rainfall on Thursday morning led to flash flood warnings. A brief closure of a segment of Interstate 40 north of Durham, North Carolina, occurred due to flooding, but it has since been reopened, as reported by the state’s department of transportation.
Flash flood warnings were also activated in North Carolina, including cities like Greensboro and Winston-Salem, on Wednesday night, where intense storms brought up to 6 inches of rain in 12 hours. Fortunately, there were no flood reports from the area, as a prolonged drought and steady rainfall have lessened the risk considerably.
Threats from Bertha in Texas
Although Bertha has been downgraded, its remnants may still generate significant rainfall in eastern Texas.
The remnants of Bertha could deliver between 1 to 3 inches of rain, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 4 inches, across parts of the middle Texas Gulf Coast and South Texas through Thursday night. While isolated flash flooding might occur, the dry ground conditions should help mitigate the threat.
Bertha marked the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which has been relatively slow to develop in comparison to previous years, as El Niño influences the conditions in the basin.
Continued Flood Threat in the East
The moisture from Bertha has begun to flow into a sluggish front situated across the Southeast and southern Virginia as of Wednesday, contributing to the ongoing flood risk.
Storms on Wednesday morning resulted in flash flooding north of Knoxville, Tennessee, where up to 5 inches of rain fell within a few hours.
Additional rain is anticipated through Friday. While the Carolinas are in need of moisture to alleviate drought conditions, excessive rainfall over the same areas could quickly lead to hazardous flash flooding.
A Level 2 of 4 risk for flooding rain is in effect from parts of the Carolinas extending westward to northern Alabama from Thursday into Friday morning.
Thunderstorms expected on Thursday afternoon may produce rainfall rates reaching up to 2 inches per hour, a rate that can quickly overwhelm drainage systems and lead to urban flooding. Cities such as Atlanta, Birmingham, Alabama, and Charlotte, North Carolina face significant risk.
The flood risk will persist into Friday, with a Level 2 of 4 risk extending from coastal North Carolina through South Carolina, northern Georgia, and northeast Alabama.
