HLSTAE THIS PRODUCT COVERS EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE, FLORIDA BIG BEND, SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA

**TROPICAL DEPRESSION TWO STRENGTHENS TO TROPICAL STORM BERTHA**

NEW INFORMATION ---------------

* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS: - NONE

* CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS: - A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL BAY, COASTAL FRANKLIN, COASTAL GULF, AND SOUTH WALTON

* STORM INFORMATION: - ABOUT 110 MILES SOUTH OF PANAMA CITY OR ABOUT 100 MILES SOUTHWEST OF APALACHICOLA - 28.6N 86.0W - STORM INTENSITY 40 MPH - MOVEMENT WEST-NORTHWEST OR 300 DEGREES AT 3 MPH

SITUATION OVERVIEW ------------------

...TROPICAL DEPRESSION TWO HAS STRENGTHENED TO TROPICAL STORM BERTHA...

AT 7 PM CDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM BERTHA WAS LOCATED 110 MILES SOUTH OF PANAMA CITY. THE CENTER OF BERTHA HAS BEEN DRIFTING ERRATICALLY NEAR 3 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 40 MPH, PROMPTING THE UPGRADE TO TROPICAL STORM BERTHA. BERTHA WILL MOVE VERY SLOWLY NORTHWESTWARD THROUGH TUESDAY BEFORE TURNING MORE WESTWARD AND AWAY FROM THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY.

AT THIS TIME, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM BERTHA IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WELL OFFSHORE OF THE BIG BEND AND EASTERN PANHANDLE COASTS. THE PRIMARY IMPACTS TO THE LOCAL AREA WILL BE DANGEROUS BEACH CONDITIONS FROM RIP CURRENTS AND VERY ROUGH SURF, DANGEROUS MARINE CONDITIONS FROM LARGE WAVES AND STRONG WINDS, GUSTY WINDS IN SQUALLS ACROSS COASTAL AREAS, AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL, MAINLY FOR AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-10 IN FLORIDA. A BRIEF, WEAK TORNADO OR TWO CANNOT BE RULED OUT ALONG THE FLORIDA BIG BEND COAST.

RAINFALL TOTALS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES, WITH ISOLATED SPOTS NEAR 6 INCHES, ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-10. A STORM SURGE OF 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES OF HIGH TIDE ALONG THE COAST OF APALACHEE BAY TO INDIAN PASS AND 1 TO 2 FEET FOR AREAS WEST OF INDIAN PASS.

POTENTIAL IMPACTS -----------------

* WIND: PREPARE FOR HAZARDOUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS THE COASTAL FLORIDA PANHANDLE. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE: - DAMAGE TO PORCHES, AWNINGS, CARPORTS, SHEDS, AND UNANCHORED MOBILE HOMES. UNSECURED LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECTS BLOWN ABOUT. - MANY LARGE TREE LIMBS BROKEN OFF. A FEW TREES SNAPPED OR UPROOTED, BUT WITH GREATER NUMBERS IN PLACES WHERE TREES ARE SHALLOW ROOTED. SOME FENCES AND ROADWAY SIGNS BLOWN OVER. - A FEW ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM DEBRIS, PARTICULARLY WITHIN URBAN OR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ON BRIDGES AND OTHER ELEVATED ROADWAYS. - SCATTERED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES.

ELSEWHERE ACROSS EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE, FLORIDA BIG BEND, SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED.

* FLOODING RAIN: PREPARE FOR LOCALLY HAZARDOUS RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE, FLORIDA BIG BEND, SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE: - LOCALIZED RAINFALL FLOODING MAY PROMPT A FEW EVACUATIONS. - RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY QUICKLY RISE WITH SWIFTER CURRENTS. SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS, AND DITCHES MAY BECOME SWOLLEN AND OVERFLOW IN SPOTS. - FLOOD WATERS CAN ENTER A FEW STRUCTURES, ESPECIALLY IN USUALLY VULNERABLE SPOTS. A FEW PLACES WHERE RAPID PONDING OF WATER OCCURS AT UNDERPASSES, LOW-LYING SPOTS, AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. SEVERAL STORM DRAINS AND RETENTION PONDS BECOME NEAR-FULL AND BEGIN TO OVERFLOW. SOME BRIEF ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES.

* SURGE: PREPARE FOR LOCALLY HAZARDOUS SURGE HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND BIG BEND COASTS. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE: - LOCALIZED INUNDATION WITH STORM SURGE FLOODING MAINLY ALONG IMMEDIATE SHORELINES AND IN LOW-LYING SPOTS, OR IN AREAS FARTHER INLAND NEAR WHERE HIGHER SURGE WATERS MOVE ASHORE. - SECTIONS OF NEAR-SHORE ROADS AND PARKING LOTS BECOME OVERSPREAD WITH SURGE WATER. DRIVING CONDITIONS DANGEROUS IN PLACES WHERE SURGE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. - MODERATE BEACH EROSION. HEAVY SURF ALSO BREACHING DUNES, MAINLY IN USUALLY VULNERABLE LOCATIONS. STRONG RIP CURRENTS. - MINOR TO LOCALLY MODERATE DAMAGE TO MARINAS, DOCKS, BOARDWALKS, AND PIERS. A FEW SMALL CRAFT BROKEN AWAY FROM MOORINGS.

ELSEWHERE ACROSS EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE, FLORIDA BIG BEND, SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED.

* TORNADOES: PREPARE FOR A TORNADO EVENT HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS THE COASTAL FLORIDA BIG BEND. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE: - THE OCCURRENCE OF ISOLATED TORNADOES CAN HINDER THE EXECUTION OF EMERGENCY PLANS DURING TROPICAL EVENTS. - A FEW PLACES MAY EXPERIENCE TORNADO DAMAGE, ALONG WITH POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS DISRUPTIONS. - LOCATIONS COULD REALIZE ROOFS PEELED OFF BUILDINGS, CHIMNEYS TOPPLED, MOBILE HOMES PUSHED OFF FOUNDATIONS OR OVERTURNED, LARGE TREE TOPS AND BRANCHES SNAPPED OFF, SHALLOW-ROOTED TREES KNOCKED OVER, MOVING VEHICLES BLOWN OFF ROADS, AND SMALL BOATS PULLED FROM MOORINGS.

ELSEWHERE ACROSS EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE, FLORIDA BIG BEND, SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED.

PRECAUTIONARY PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS ----------------------------------

* EVACUATIONS: FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS

* OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION: NOW IS THE TIME TO CHECK YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN AND EMERGENCY SUPPLIES KIT AND TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND SECURE YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

WHEN MAKING SAFETY AND PREPAREDNESS DECISIONS, DO NOT FOCUS ON THE EXACT FORECAST TRACK SINCE HAZARDS SUCH AS FLOODING RAIN, DAMAGING WIND GUSTS, STORM SURGE, AND TORNADOES EXTEND WELL AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE STORM.

IF YOU ARE A VISITOR, KNOW THE NAME OF THE COUNTY IN WHICH YOU ARE LOCATED AND WHERE IT IS RELATIVE TO CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS. IF STAYING AT A HOTEL, ASK THE MANAGEMENT STAFF ABOUT THEIR ONSITE DISASTER PLAN. LISTEN FOR EVACUATION ORDERS, ESPECIALLY PERTAINING TO AREA VISITORS.

CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER.GOV, NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS FOR OFFICIAL STORM INFORMATION. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE FORECAST.

* ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION: - FOR INFORMATION ON APPROPRIATE PREPARATIONS SEE READY.GOV - FOR ADDITIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION SEE REDCROSS.ORG

NEXT UPDATE -----------

THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE FL AROUND 10 PM CDT, OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.