Tropical Storm Bertha

Forecast Advisory 18

---

000
WTNT32 KNHC 090221
TCPAT2
BULLETIN
TROPICAL DEPRESSION BERTHA ADVISORY NUMBER 18
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
10 PM CDT THU AUG 08 2002

...BERTHA DRIFTING SLOWLY WESTWARD TOWARD THE LOWER TEXAS COAST...

ALL INTERESTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO...PRIMARILY ALONG
THE SOUTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS COAST...SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE
PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.

AT 10 PM CDT...0300Z...THE POORLY DEFINED CENTER OF TROPICAL
DEPRESSION BERTHA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE
96.5 WEST OR ABOUT 80 MILES NORTHEAST OF BROWNSVILLE TEXAS. THIS
IS ALSO ABOUT 85 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS.

THE DEPRESSION IS DRIFTING SLOWLY TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 3 MPH
... 6 KM/HR...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR
THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE BROAD CENTER OF BERTHA
IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL BETWEEN CORPUS CHRISTI AND BROWNSVILLE
DURING THE DAY FRIDAY.

MAXIMUM WINDS ARE NEAR 30 MPH... 45 KM/HR...MAINLY IN BRIEF HEAVY
SQUALLS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST UNTIL LANDFALL
OCCURS.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1011 MB...29.85 INCHES.

THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM BERTHA WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.

REPEATING THE 10 PM CDT POSITION...26.9 N... 96.5 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 3 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS... 30 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1011 MB.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
AT 4 AM CDT...FRIDAY.

FORECASTER STEWART/BROWN