Tropical Storm Bertha threatens Gulf Coast with flooding and wind; Hurricane Fausto strengthens in Pacific

The Gulf Coast is on alert as Tropical Storm Bertha churns toward populated areas, threatening flooding rain, dangerous storm surge and damaging wind gusts, while Hurricane Fausto has strengthened in the eastern Pacific but poses no immediate threat to land.

Bertha, the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, formed Monday evening and was about 140 miles (225 kilometers) south of Panama City, Florida. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was expected to strengthen as it edges toward the northern Gulf Coast, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Forecasters warned the slow-moving storm could linger near the coast for days, raising the risk of prolonged heavy rain, flash flooding and coastal inundation from Florida to Louisiana before drifting west toward Texas.

By Monday night, Bertha was nearly stationary but was forecast to turn west or west-northwest over the next several days.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from the Alabama-Florida border west to southeastern Louisiana, while a storm surge watch stretches from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama-Florida border.

The hurricane center warned that life-threatening storm surge of up to 4 feet (1.2 meters) is possible in parts of Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. Bertha could also spawn isolated tornadoes across Florida's Big Bend.

Forecasters said flash flooding is possible through Friday from western Florida to central Texas. Louisiana could see 3 to 5 inches (7 to 12 centimeters) of rain, with isolated areas receiving significantly higher totals.

Communities are already preparing for the storm. Red flags flew along the beach in Orange Beach, Alabama, warning swimmers of dangerous surf and rip currents, while emergency officials in Florida's Escambia County distributed sand to residents filling sandbags in flood-prone neighborhoods.

Farther west, Hurricane Fausto strengthened Monday night about 745 miles (1,200 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula.

Fausto had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 9 mph (15 kph). No coastal watches or warnings were in effect, but forecasters warned the hurricane could generate dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents along parts of the Baja California coast.