Live updates: Tropical Storm Bertha targets Gulf Coast as dangerous flood threat hits the Carolinas

Severe thunderstorms and heavy floodwaters triggered a partial bridge collapse along northbound Woodfield Road near Brink Road in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Tuesday evening.

(Montgomery County Fire and Rescue)

The rushing water eroded portions of the roadway structure around 8 p.m. ET, forcing emergency management and transportation crews to shut down the impacted stretch as inspectors arrived to evaluate the damage.

While no injuries were reported, state road officials deployed electronic message signs to detour traffic around the damaged infrastructure while crews worked to stabilize and assess the site.

Outer bands from Tropical Storm Bertha continue to lash coastal communities as the system creeps westward along the northern Gulf Coast.

On Dauphin Island, Alabama, FOX Weather Senior Correspondent Robert Ray captured footage of powerful wind gusts and pounding, roaring waves churning along the shoreline.

First responders with the Nashville Fire Department remained on high alert overnight as severe thunderstorms swept through Middle Tennessee, bringing heavy rain and localized flash flooding.

Emergency crews deployed to handle storm-related calls, water rescues, and dangerous conditions across the Metro area.

Incredible images captured by photographer Jason Adams reveal the sheer scale of flood damage along Interstate 79 near Exit 105 in West Virginia.

Relentless, torrential downpours triggered high-water washouts and significant mudslides, covering lanes in debris and swallowing sections of the roadway.

The destructive flooding forced highway officials to close portions of the interstate as emergency crews and transportation teams work to clear structural hazards and assess road damage following the severe storm outbreak.

(Jason Adams)

(Jason Adams)

The threat of flash flooding is ramping up this morning across southern Virginia and North Carolina as showers and thunderstorms expand in coverage.

Atmospheric moisture combining with a slow-moving cold front is fueling torrential downpours capable of producing several inches of rain in a short window.

Doppler radar image showing showers and thunderstorms beginning to increase in coverage from Virginia to North Carolina.

As rain rates accelerate over already saturated ground, runoff is beginning to flood low-lying roadways, urban areas, and small streams across the region.

Drivers are urged to exercise extreme caution on morning commutes, as fast-rising waters could turn dangerous with little advance warning.

Click here to track the storms using our Interactive Radar.

Radar image showing rain from Bertha moving ashore from Florida to Mississippi this morning.

Outer rain bands from Tropical Storm Bertha are sweeping across the Florida Panhandle, bringing squally weather, gusty winds, and torrential downpours to Pensacola Beach.

Pounding surf and dangerous rip currents have forced double red flags along coastal beaches as the storm's eastern edge continues to pump moisture onshore.

FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross breaks down why Tropical Storm Bertha is setting up for an unusual landfall along the Louisiana coast this afternoon.

When severe weather leaves a trail of destruction, National Weather Service (NWS) survey teams deploy to the field to analyze the aftermath and determine whether a tornado or straight-line winds were responsible.

NWS damage survey teams repeatedly drive across the damage path, plotting GPS coordinates, taking pictures, and assessing the damage.

Meteorologists inspect the direction of the debris—looking for a scattered, convergent pattern that indicates rotation rather than trees and structures blown down in a single uniform direction.

Damage Indicators are used to help determine a tornado's strength and maximum wind speeds.

To determine the storm's strength on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, surveyors evaluate 28 specific "Damage Indicators"—ranging from single-family homes and commercial buildings to trees and power poles—and match the observed destruction to specific "Degrees of Damage".

By factoring in structural engineering quality, anchoring, and material construction, forecasters can estimate maximum wind speeds (from EF-0 to EF-5) and establish the tornado's official path length and width.

Ominous dark clouds hovered over Fairfield, New Jersey, on Tuesday afternoon as severe thunderstorms swept across the northern part of the state.

The intense storm system prompted at least two tornado reports in the region, leaving residents on high alert as dark, turbulent skies moved through Essex County.

While Tropical Storm Bertha continues to show signs of weakening as it approaches Louisiana, there is a small window for brief re-intensification if the storm's center successfully reforms over open Gulf waters.

Should a secondary center organize offshore this afternoon, the storm could tap into warm Gulf waters for a short burst of strengthening before taking aim at the Texas coast.

However, FOX Weather meteorologists emphasize that Bertha will not make landfall as a hurricane; hostile atmospheric conditions, including strong vertical wind shear and dry air, are expected to take over, forcing the system to weaken once again on its journey westward.

Forecasters are closely monitoring for a potential redevelopment of Bertha's center, which could help it intensify later tonight.

Tropical Storm Bertha is creeping westward toward the northern Gulf Coast, with landfall expected along the Louisiana shoreline this afternoon.

Current projections from the FOX Forecast Center place the initial arrival window between 2 and 5 p.m. ET as the storm's circulation center approaches the marshy coast south of New Orleans.

However, because the system continues to crawl at around 5 mph, any brief slowdown or shift could push official landfall closer to the late afternoon or early evening hours.

Determining the exact moment and location of landfall may prove tricky for forecasters. The low-lying geography of southeastern Louisiana—dominated by extensive barrier islands, open bays, and coastal marshes—means Bertha's center may scrape over water and marsh for hours without crossing a defined mainland coastline.

As a result, the National Hurricane Center may not declare a traditional, official "landfall" even as tropical-storm-force winds and squalls spread directly across the region.

Forecasters at the FOX Forecast Center are tracking a highly complex, evolving scenario with Tropical Storm Bertha as it approaches the Louisiana coast.

Computer forecast models show Bertha tracking west toward Texas on Thursday.

The main wildcard in Bertha’s future relies on dynamic tropical re-organization. Key hurricane computer models suggest the original circulation center may push inland over Louisiana while a brand-new center attempts to reform offshore underneath a dense cluster of storms in the Gulf of America.

If this secondary center successfully forms, it would significantly alter the forecast track, potentially shifting the National Hurricane Center's forecast cone noticeably farther south and elevating intensity expectations as the storm tracks toward the Texas coast on Thursday, with areas from Matagorda Bay down to Corpus Christi coming into focus.

Meteorologists will be watching closely through late morning to determine whether the original storm structure holds or if this new offshore circulation begins to take over.

The National Hurricane Center highlighted this potential outcome this morning, and all eyes remain on upcoming advisory updates to see if a southern shift in the track takes hold.

The next advisory from the National Hurricane Center will be at 11 a.m. ET.

The threat of dangerous flash flooding is set to shift farther south and east over the next day or two as a slow-moving front draws in heavy tropical moisture.

Today, a Level 3 out of 4 flash flood risk is positioned over central and eastern Virginia, stretching toward Richmond and coastal sections. FOX Weather meteorologists are especially concerned that relentless rain could trigger significant flash flooding in this area today.

The FOX Forecast Center says the Carolinas will be the focus for flash flooding in the days ahead.

By Thursday, the highest risk (Level 3) pivots directly into central and eastern North Carolina—including Raleigh—where repeated rounds of downpours could lead to rapidly rising waters.

Atlanta to Charlotte and Charleston aren't out of the woods as slow-moving storms could trigger flash flooding through the end of the week.

Powerful thunderstorms slammed the New York tri-state area on Tuesday, bringing torrential downpours that quickly triggered dangerous flash flooding.

Ominous dark clouds hovered over northern New Jersey on Tuesday as a swirling funnel cloud was captured on video moving across Bergen County.

The dangerous setup prompted the National Weather Service to issue both Tornado Warnings and Flood Warnings as severe thunderstorms battered the state.

The severe weather and flood threat is shifting southeast today as a cold front moves through the Mid-Atlantic, bringing widespread showers and a Level 2 out of 5 severe storm threat focused on southern Virginia and North Carolina, where damaging winds remain the primary hazard.

The primary concern, however, is a dangerous Level 3 out of 4 flood threat as the front stalls over the Carolinas.

By tapping into deep moisture associated with Tropical Storm Bertha, the system will trigger repeated rounds of torrential rain—completely separate from direct tropical impacts—stretching from Raleigh and the Outer Banks south toward Wilmington, NC, and north to Virginia Beach.

Rain totals in these coastal and eastern areas could top 8 inches before the front drifts farther south by the end of the week, offering slight relief to inland regions while keeping flood risks high along the coast.

A lopsided Tropical Storm Bertha continues its westward crawl across the northern Gulf of America, steered by high pressure over the Rockies toward a expected Wednesday afternoon landfall south of New Orleans.

Though the storm peaked in intensity Tuesday night and continues to slowly weaken, Tropical Storm Warnings remain active from the Florida Panhandle through southeast Louisiana.

The FOX Forecast Center notes that Bertha’s future beyond Louisiana hinges on its circulation; if the system stays intact as it scrapes the coast, it could re-emerge over warm Gulf waters and head toward Texas, but heavy land interaction could cause it to dissipate early.

The National Hurricane Center's official forecast track shows Bertha hugging the Gulf Coast as it moves west.

Because the storm's most severe weather remains pushed to its south and east, overall impacts are expected to stay relatively limited for inland communities. Still, showers and heavy downpours will pinwheel into coastal and near-shore areas across Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, delivering 1 to 4 inches of rain with isolated higher totals that could spark localized flash flooding.

Coastal areas in the warning zone can expect wind gusts over 40 mph, with isolated gusts reaching up to 65 mph, while New Orleans is slated for 30 to 40 mph gusts Wednesday night.

Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings remain in effect for portions of the Gulf Coast

Persistent onshore winds are also driving water toward the shoreline, prompting Coastal Flood Warnings along the immediate coast.

Water levels could rise up to 4 feet above normally dry ground in the most vulnerable stretches, particularly between the mouth of the Mississippi River and the Mississippi-Alabama border.

While Bertha is not forecast to deliver a sharp surge spike, the slow-moving nature of the system will keep coastal waters elevated through Thursday.

If you are just catching up on today's active weather, you can review full coverage, localized storm tracking, and damage reports from Tuesday's live blog.

Yesterday's coverage captured the early flash flooding across the Mid-Atlantic and tornadoes that tore through New Jersey.

For minute-by-minute updates from Tuesday, access our complete archived coverage here.