Tropical depression strengthens into storm Bertha in Gulf of Mexico

A tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico grew into Tropical Storm Bertha on Monday, July 20. It was the second named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm developed south of Panama City, in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Authorities issued storm watches for coastal areas from northern Florida to the Mississippi-Alabama border. Heavy rain is expected along the Gulf Coast, from western Florida to eastern Texas. Most areas will receive two to four inches of rain, but some places could get up to six inches. Forecasters believe the storm will not become a hurricane, because Saharan dust and strong winds in the upper atmosphere should weaken it. Tropical storm warnings were also issued for Charleston, South Carolina.