Tropical Weather Update

Bertha could become Atlantic season’s first hurricane

• Storm about 1,200 miles from northern Leeward Islands on Sunday morning
• Bertha has sustained winds up to 50 mph, is expected to grow stronger
• It is too early to say if or where Bertha will hit land

MIAMI, Florida (AP) — Tropical Storm Bertha is approaching warmer waters and is likely to strengthen during the coming days.

At 11 a.m. ET Sunday, Bertha was centered about 1,185 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands in the Caribbean.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with some higher gusting.

Forecasters say Bertha is expected to strengthen during the next few days and could become the Atlantic season’s first hurricane.

The storm is moving toward the west at about 21 mph. It’s still too early to say if or where Bertha will hit land.

The first named storm this year, Arthur, formed in the Atlantic the day before the season officially started June 1 and soaked the Yucatan Peninsula.