Shreveport, La. – Tropical Storm Bertha is expected to remain well south of the ArkLaTex as it continues moving westward along the northern Gulf Coast, keeping the greatest impacts confined to coastal communities while inland areas see little, if any, direct effects.
According to the National Weather Service in Shreveport, Tropical Storm Bertha will continue moving slowly west while weakening along the Gulf Coast. Forecasters say very little, if any, impacts are expected across the Four State Region, which includes portions of northwest Louisiana, northeast Texas, southwest Arkansas and southeast Oklahoma.
Most of Bertha’s hazardous weather, including heavier rain, gusty winds and coastal impacts, is expected to remain along and south of the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Farther inland, only isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms are expected Thursday afternoon, primarily across deep East Texas and northern Louisiana.
Communities including Shreveport, Bossier City, Texarkana, Longview, Marshall and El Dorado are not expected to experience significant impacts from the tropical system. However, any thunderstorms that develop could still produce brief heavy rainfall, lightning and gusty winds typical of summertime storms.
Residents with travel plans to the Louisiana or Texas Gulf Coast should continue monitoring updates from the National Hurricane Center and local National Weather Service offices, where the greatest effects from Bertha are expected.
The National Weather Service says Bertha will continue weakening as it tracks westward, but forecasts will be updated if the storm’s path or expected impacts change.
