Tropical Storm Bertha forms with no impact to Florida
TAMPA, Fla. - While Monday is the official start of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, a second named storm has formed Wednesday morning.
Tropical Storm Bertha formed near the coast of South Carolina and is expected to produce heavy rainfall across parts of South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The National Hurricane Center says it could produce life-threatening flash flooding.
However, it doesn't appear Bertha will impact Florida at all as it moves away from the state.
"Heavy rainfall will be the biggest threat, along with tropical storm force winds along portions of the South Carolina coast," according to NHC forecasters.
FOX 13's meteorologist Dave Osterberg said Bertha quickly developed overnight.
"This morning I woke up, there was a 30% chance of development with this disturbance off the coast, then it went to 70% and now we have a tropical storm," he explained. "That's how fast this changed overnight."
Tropical Storm Arthur formed over a week ago, brushing the North Carolina coast before it finally headed out into the Atlantic Ocean.
"This is our second named storm before the hurricane season even started," Osterberg said. "You can't judge a hurricane season by early-season storms."
Tropical Storm Bertha forms on the morning of May 27, 2020. (National Hurricane Center)