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Bertha Bulks Up But Still Unlikely To Threaten U.S. Coast

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 9, 2008

TAMPA - Hurricane Bertha bulked up slightly overnight and by a day or so may be back to hurricane strength.

But it continues to appear unlikely that Bertha, as a hurricane or at its current tropical storm strength, will have much impact on the U.S. coast. The National Hurricane Center can't say that with certainty about Bermuda.

The storm has encountered slightly better conditions with less shear and warmer waters, so forecasters believe winds might pick up from the current 70 mph to closer to 80 mph.

However, forecasters have not drawn a keen bead on intensity forecasts for Bertha lately.

The storm will continue to limp north and into the open Atlantic Ocean, though forecasters say it could slow more and meander during the weekend and Monday. Steering currents will be lax at that point, and there will be very little in the way of high or low pressure areas to push the storm around.

A low pressure area moving off the U.S. coast is responsible for Bertha's gentle turn to the north, but the low pressure won't linger long enough to send the storm toward the North Atlantic.

That means, forecasters said, Bertha could linger. When that happens, it's difficult to tell where the storm eventually will go.

Contact reporter Neil Johnson at (813) 259-7731 or njohnson@tampatrib.com.

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