Sunday night update:
A hurricane reconnaissance aircraft flew into Bertha during the evening, and the maximum sustained winds have increased to 65 mph. The National Hurricane Center’s updated track forecast is showing it becoming a hurricane (winds of 74+ mph) by Monday night. Get the latest in our CBS 6 Hurricane Tracker.
RICHMOND, Va. — A tropical disturbance that we have been following for a few days formed into Tropical Storm Bertha around 11 p.m. Thursday, about 275 miles east-southeast of Barbados.
Bertha moved through the Lesser Antilles Friday night. The forecast track will take the center across Puerto Rico, Haiti & the Dominican Republic during Saturday, and near the Bahamas by late Sunday. After that, various environmental factors will turn the track away from the coast.
The majority of computer models suggest that the track will end up between the east coast and Bermuda. Bertha may strengthen enough early in the week to reach hurricane status, which is winds of 74 mph or stronger.
As of now, the track will stay far enough offshore to not really impact the Mid-Atlantic coast, other than producing an increase in waves heights. However, a shift in the track farther east or west is possible. Keep up with our updates through this weekend into next week, especially if you have plans in the Outer Banks.
You can always get the latest information and forecast track in our CBS 6 Hurricane Tracker.
