Slow-moving Tropical Storm Bertha Rakes Bermuda

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Posted: 10:10 AM Jul 13, 2008
Last Updated: 12:33 PM Jul 14, 2008

42 comments

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Tropical Storm Bertha raked Bermuda with high winds on Monday while kicking up choppy surf along the East Coast of the United States.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm was 60 miles southeast of the Atlantic island Monday morning with sustained winds of 65 mph and higher gusts.

JetBlue canceled Monday flights from Bermuda to Boston and New York, while American Airlines passengers scheduled to travel to Miami and New York were flown out on Sunday.

Bertha was moving north near 7 mph. It was expected to bring 3-5 inches of rain to Bermuda.

Sustained tropical storm-force winds of 55 mph mph were recently reported at Commissioner's Point in Bermuda.

Over the weekend, most tourists avoided the storm-whipped surf and rip currents along Bermuda's southern coast and authorities began posting signs announcing beach closures. Residents taped up windows and secured boats.

The National Weather Service said Bertha created tricky waves and currents along U.S. East Coast, and officials said that may have contributed to at least one drowning death Saturday along a New Jersey beach.

Bertha became the Atlantic season's first hurricane on July 7.

For updates on Bertha and to track the storm click here.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: anonymous on Jul 12, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Bertha is hitting Bermuda right now(700 miles off shore), and is gonna turn to the east and spiral around the atlantic out nowhere it is causing rip currents along the crystal coast, so watch out

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 12, 2008 at 08:46 AM
I agree with anoymous. I have been checking daily to find an update on the fire and so far, NOTHING....How about it WITN, give us an update on what's happening at our own back door.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 12, 2008 at 06:38 AM
How about an update on the fire? Bertha is no where close to us.

Posted by: Chris Location: Greenville on Jul 10, 2008 at 05:22 AM
Only mention a hurricane if it touches a land mass. Then only go into detail about it , if it hits North Carolina. Otherwise , it is just a rain storm at sea . Let boats and ships here your "not gonna hit land" forecast.

Posted by: humor in Location: NC on Jul 10, 2008 at 12:27 AM
just like a woman cant figure out her mind how fast she wants to be :P

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 9, 2008 at 04:06 PM
Based off the current weather situation, this storm isint comming close to NC. shouldent even be discussed. Ive never seen a storm make a left turn way up by bermuda. the storms make their turns right before the caribbean, and either turn towards mexico, florida, NC, or they just get turned out in the middle of the atlantic.

Posted by: Blog Refuter Location: NC on Jul 9, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Hurricanes can be very unpredictable...

Posted by: Chris Location: Greenville on Jul 9, 2008 at 06:31 AM
Let me know about a storm when it is like 200 mioles off the coast and it is certain it is going to hit land. Don't waste our time if it stays out at sea.It is not a big deal unless it hits us. Then if it does hit us , it depends on how strong it is.

Posted by: Obama 08 4 Prez! on Jul 8, 2008 at 11:48 PM
To: Posted by: farmer joe Location: country on Jul 7, 2008 at 03:58 PM, Thank You

Posted by: Rusty Location: Washington on Jul 8, 2008 at 01:12 PM
Based on past tracks that hit NC, this will stay out to sea and head north. Having been hit with a past Bertha, most of our storms go over and around PR and head north. It took a too northerly direction too early. Hey, Bertha is my mothers name and she is not obese...

Posted by: TO DAVE Location: GREENVILLE on Jul 8, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Funny, you must be joking. Every name could be a stereotype! LOL

Posted by: Richard Location: Jacksonville on Jul 8, 2008 at 11:53 AM
It's a shame the weather reporters are so desparate to say "Reporting live from Atlantic Beach.." that they're praying this thing will hit us!

Posted by: Dave Location: Greenville on Jul 8, 2008 at 10:58 AM
I think that naming a large hurricane Bertha is an insult because Bertha is a name that is stereotypical to obese women.

Posted by: Obama 4 Crop Maitenence Location: Gboro on Jul 8, 2008 at 09:33 AM
Bertha go away, knocked down power lines will keep my husband away for weeks!

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 8, 2008 at 07:46 AM
Anonymous, she is still a week away. NO ONE knows exactly what she will do until she does it. No we probably will not get any rain but YOU nor I will not know until it happens.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 7, 2008 at 08:40 PM
People, lets not panic and talk about well needed rain comming to NC. Bertha is gonna be 800 some miles off our coast. NC wont even see a cloud from this storm

Posted by: Chris Location: Greenville on Jul 7, 2008 at 07:10 PM
Why don't they waste a name on tropical depressions. And why do they waste names on storms that touch no tract of land anywhere. Sounds like hurricane predictors are just giving themselves a reason to have an overpaid job.

Posted by: farmer joe Location: country on Jul 7, 2008 at 03:58 PM
you burn the fields so you don't have to plow it, and the ashes help put good stuff back into the soil to

Posted by: Rusty Location: Washington on Jul 7, 2008 at 02:25 PM
I wonder how they will handle predictions this year? Last year we could have used the rain. NOAA changed their predictions of doom for NC. It goes to show our global warming sayers that no one, no scientist and no politician can predict the weather.

Posted by: MO3 Location: Pink Hill on Jul 7, 2008 at 09:40 AM
Come on Bertha, we need the rain!!

Posted by: Obama 08 4 Prez! on Jul 6, 2008 at 11:20 PM
TO:Natvie Location: Columbia on Jul 6, 2008 at 07:22 PM, Thank You

Posted by: Obama 08 4 Prez! on Jul 6, 2008 at 11:18 PM
TO:T Location: Gville on Jul 6, 2008 at 09:16 PM, Thank You

Posted by: T Location: Gville on Jul 6, 2008 at 09:16 PM
Obama 08 4 prez I asked my husband and he said the reason is so they will not have to plow it up.

Posted by: Obama for trashman! on Jul 6, 2008 at 08:34 PM
the wheat ashes are then used to make toast

Posted by: Natvie Location: Columbia on Jul 6, 2008 at 08:22 PM
To Obama 08 4 Prez, burning the wheat fields puts nutrients back into the ground from the wheat stalks. This puts it back faster than disking it into the ground and letting it slowly rot and put those nutrients back. In other words, it's a fast, cheap way to put nutrients back into the soil. Hope this helps you understand some. I know it seems crazy to burn them with the burning bans in effect and the drought going on.

Posted by: Dave Location: Greenville on Jul 6, 2008 at 08:08 PM
A storm name is only retired if it causes major damage and lost of life. Currently, it looks like she will be curving out to sea. If she does come we better hope for not to much rain because it will wash away all the top soil. We need a steady rain.

Posted by: Obama 08 4 Prez! on Jul 6, 2008 at 06:58 PM
I was thinking the same thing, didn't we already have a Bertha? I hope we get the rain. I look at the corn crops and they are about two feet tall and dying. Poor farmers, what are they going to do? But I would like to ask a question, answer only if you know the answer plz. Why do farmers always burn wheat fields after they have be harvested?

Posted by: Blog Refuter Location: NC on Jul 6, 2008 at 06:53 PM
If I'm not mistaking, the names are only retired if the hurricane reaches a Category 3 or higher (major hurricane). I think that Bertha was a Category 2, just like Floyd was in 1999; so big bad Bertha can form again. We had Fran in the same year as Bertha (1996), but it was a Category 3, so its name was retired. I know that in Eastern Beaufort County, we experienced nearly the same conditions with Fran and Bertha, but the flooding was a little worse during Fran. So even though some storms may seem terrible, they are not always "strong enough", in regards to winds, for their names to retire.

Posted by: Rob Location: NC on Jul 6, 2008 at 02:00 PM
Since 2005, it seems that when a tropical storm forms, hysteria and what I call "Katrinaitis" sets in. Let's just calm down and wait to see what happens.

Posted by: ?????????? Location: nc on Jul 6, 2008 at 01:32 PM
I thought we already had a Bertha. Don't the names get retired?

Posted by: Jamie Location: Greenville on Jul 6, 2008 at 12:39 PM
It's horrible to hope for another flood. I don't think that would be good for anyone. The rains are much needed and I hope we are able to atleast get that.

Posted by: Blog Refuter Location: NC on Jul 6, 2008 at 12:31 PM
With nature, it always seems to be two sides: "the good" and "the bad". If there's a hurricane, then there's major flooding; if there is no hurricane, then there's a drought (and potentially fires). Hmm...I trust that God has what's best in store for us.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: hyde co on Jul 6, 2008 at 10:24 AM
we need rain but not a hurricane we haven't gotten over floyd or isabell yet and the dam that is "suppose" to protect us is not finished so we sure don't need a hurricane rain yes tide no

Posted by: Kelly Location: Williamston on Jul 6, 2008 at 07:07 AM
This is to Scott in Greenville -- I hope you are joking because another flood would definately NOT be cool!!!! It would be a disaster that a lot of people, including myself, do not want to ever relive.

Posted by: Blog Refuter Location: NC on Jul 5, 2008 at 11:22 PM
I believe that Bertha is coming. The much beneficial rain of these daily thunderstorms is just getting us ready for the amount of rain that good old Bertha is soon to bring.

Posted by: chris Location: chocowinty on Jul 5, 2008 at 09:26 PM
this rain will help the firefighters in hyde county

Posted by: Scott Location: Greenville on Jul 5, 2008 at 08:12 PM
What would be really cool is another flood!

Posted by: Praying for Bertha on Jul 5, 2008 at 07:48 PM
Just what Hyde and Tyrell county needs.

Posted by: TDW Location: Willamston on Jul 5, 2008 at 12:33 PM
"Just Singing in the Rain!" - I Hope!

Posted by: Tim Location: winterville on Jul 5, 2008 at 11:54 AM
uh oh! here comes another reason to raise gas prices.

Posted by: J Location: Gville on Jul 3, 2008 at 02:16 PM
Bring on the rain....and thats it!

Posted by: Blog Refuter Location: NC on Jul 3, 2008 at 01:00 PM
I hope it comes to the N.C. shoreline and drench our grounds.

Posted by: Chuck on Jul 3, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Maybe the forest guys on Evans Road need to make a big sign saying "Bertha Hit Here". Seriously, I hope it doesn't get too big...but we do need the rain.

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