HLSLIX THIS PRODUCT COVERS SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI

TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS ISSUED FOR MOUTH OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO LAFOURCHE TERREBONNE PARISH LINE.

COASTAL FLOOD WARNINGS NOW IN EFFECT MISSISSIPPI ALABAMA BORDER TO MOUTH OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

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

* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS: - THE STORM SURGE WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR EASTERN ORLEANS, LOWER PLAQUEMINES, LOWER ST. BERNARD, SOUTHEAST ST. TAMMANY, SOUTHERN HANCOCK, SOUTHERN HARRISON, AND SOUTHERN JACKSON - THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR COASTAL JEFFERSON AND LOWER LAFOURCHE

* CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS: - A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL JEFFERSON, EASTERN ORLEANS, LOWER LAFOURCHE, LOWER PLAQUEMINES, LOWER ST. BERNARD, SOUTHEAST ST. TAMMANY, SOUTHERN HANCOCK, SOUTHERN HARRISON, AND SOUTHERN JACKSON - A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL JEFFERSON, CENTRAL PLAQUEMINES, CENTRAL ST. CHARLES, LOWER ST. CHARLES, LOWER TERREBONNE, NORTHERN HANCOCK, NORTHERN HARRISON, NORTHERN JACKSON, ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, UPPER JEFFERSON, UPPER LAFOURCHE, UPPER PLAQUEMINES, UPPER ST. BERNARD, UPPER ST. CHARLES, UPPER TERREBONNE, AND WESTERN ORLEANS

* STORM INFORMATION: - ABOUT 240 MILES EAST OF NEW ORLEANS LA OR ABOUT 180 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF GULFPORT MS - 29.3N 86.3W - STORM INTENSITY 60 MPH - MOVEMENT NORTH-NORTHWEST OR 345 DEGREES AT 3 MPH

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

TROPICAL STORM BERTHA IS CURRENTLY SOUTH OF THE COAST OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND WILL GRADUALLY CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHWEST. SOME SLIGHT ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY PRIOR TO IT TURNING MORE WESTWARD TOWARD SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA ON WEDNESDAY. BERTHA IS FORECAST TO BRING THE THREAT OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-10, AND COASTAL FLOODING OF UP TO 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMALLY DRY GROUND. THE COASTAL AREAS OF MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA WILL HAVE THE GREATEST THREAT, ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-10.

COASTAL FLOOD WARNINGS ARE NOW IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHEAST ST. TAMMANY TO THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORIES ARE NOW IN EFFECT FOR NORTH AND WEST SHORES OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AND THE JEFFERSON LAFOURCHE PARISH LINE TO MORGAN CITY, LOUISIANA.

TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FROM THE BAY GULF COUNTY LINE IN FLORIDA BORDER WEST TO THE LAFOURCHE TERREBONNE PARISH LINE IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA. TROPICAL STORM WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FROM THE LAFOURCHE TERREBONNE PARISH LINE TO THE VERMILION CAMERON PARISH LINE, LOUISIANA. ADDITIONALLY, TROPICAL STORM WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS INCLUDING LAKES PONTCHARTRAIN AND MAUREPAS, INLAND PORTIONS OF COASTAL LOUISIANA PARISHES AS WELL AS INLAND COASTAL MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES OF JACKSON, HARRISON, AND HANCOCK.

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

* WIND: PROTECT AGAINST HAZARDOUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND COASTAL MISSISSIPPI. 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 SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED.

* SURGE: PROTECT AGAINST COASTAL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ACROSS COASTAL SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE: - AREAS OF INUNDATION WITH STORM SURGE FLOODING ACCENTUATED BY WAVES. DAMAGE TO SEVERAL BUILDINGS, MAINLY NEAR THE COAST. - SECTIONS OF NEAR-SHORE ESCAPE ROUTES AND SECONDARY ROADS BECOME WEAKENED OR WASHED OUT, ESPECIALLY IN USUALLY VULNERABLE LOW SPOTS. - MAJOR BEACH EROSION WITH HEAVY SURF BREACHING DUNES. STRONG AND NUMEROUS RIP CURRENTS. - MODERATE DAMAGE TO MARINAS, DOCKS, BOARDWALKS, AND PIERS. SEVERAL SMALL CRAFT BROKEN AWAY FROM MOORINGS, ESPECIALLY IN UNPROTECTED ANCHORAGES.

ELSEWHERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI, NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED.

* FLOODING RAIN: PROTECT AGAINST LOCALLY HAZARDOUS RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE: - LOCALIZED RAINFALL FLOODING MAY PROMPT A FEW EVACUATIONS. - RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY QUICKLY RISE WITH SWIFTER CURRENTS. SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS, CANALS, 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.

* TORNADOES: LITTLE TO NO IMPACTS ARE ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME ACROSS SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI.

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

* EVACUATIONS: FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS.

* OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION: NOW IS THE TIME TO COMPLETE ALL PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN. ENSURE YOU ARE IN A SAFE LOCATION BEFORE THE ONSET OF STRONG WINDS OR POSSIBLE FLOODING.

IF YOU ARE RELOCATING TO SAFE SHELTER, LEAVE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION. MANY ROADS AND BRIDGES WILL BE CLOSED ONCE STRONG WINDS ARRIVE. CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER FORECAST BEFORE DEPARTING AND DRIVE WITH CAUTION.

KEEP CELL PHONES WELL CHARGED. CELL PHONE CHARGERS FOR AUTOMOBILES CAN BE HELPFUL, BUT BE AWARE OF YOUR RISK FOR DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING IF YOUR CAR IS LEFT IDLING IN A GARAGE OR OTHER POORLY VENTILATED AREA.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMAIN CALM, INFORMED, AND FOCUSED DURING AN EMERGENCY. BE PATIENT AND HELPFUL WITH THOSE YOU ENCOUNTER.

IF YOU ARE A VISITOR, BE SURE TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE CITY OR TOWN IN WHICH YOU ARE STAYING AND THE NAME OF THE COUNTY OR PARISH IN WHICH IT RESIDES. LISTEN FOR THESE LOCATIONS IN LOCAL NEWS UPDATES. PAY ATTENTION FOR INSTRUCTIONS FROM LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

STORM SURGE IS THE LEADING KILLER ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORMS AND HURRICANES! MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN A SAFE AREA AWAY FROM THE SURGE ZONE. EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT IN A SURGE-PRONE AREA, YOU COULD FIND YOURSELF CUTOFF BY FLOOD WATERS DURING AND AFTER THE STORM. HEED EVACUATION ORDERS ISSUED BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER.GOV, NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS FOR OFFICIAL STORM INFORMATION. BE READY TO ADAPT TO POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE FORECAST. ENSURE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS TO RECEIVE WEATHER WARNINGS.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION: - FOR INFORMATION ON APPROPRIATE PREPARATIONS SEE READY.GOV - FOR INFORMATION ON CREATING AN EMERGENCY PLAN SEE GETAGAMEPLAN.ORG - FOR ADDITIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION SEE REDCROSS.ORG

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

THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW ORLEANS LA AROUND 4 PM CDT, OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.