Tropical Storm Bertha Makes Landfall, Weakens

MIAMI, FL — The National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall Wednesday morning on the South Carolina coast east of Charleston before weakening to a tropical depression.

The second named storm ahead of Monday's official start of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was expected to produce heavy rainfall across portions of eastern and central South Carolina, west-central to far southeastern North Carolina and southwest Virginia.

"On the forecast track, Bertha will move across northern South Carolina later today and into central North Carolina by tonight," the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday afternoon. See also NOAA Predicts Strong 2020 Hurricane Season Amid Coronavirus

While Arthur — and now Bertha — became the two first named storms to form this year, the peak months of hurricane season run from August through October. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

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Weather officials said Bertha is not expected to pose a threat to Florida but was expected to bring tropical storm winds to portions of the South Carolina coast.

Bertha was about 65 miles north-northwest of Charleston with maximum sustained winds near 35 mph as of 2 p.m., according to the National Hurricane Center.

"Additional weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and
Bertha is expected to become a remnant," the National Hurricane Center said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting more hurricanes in 2020 than during an average season on top of the coronavirus outbreak that first responders are already battling.

Forecasters predicted with 70 percent certainty there will be 13 to 19 named storms with top winds of at least 39 mph. Of those, six to 10 are expected to become hurricanes with top winds of at least 74 mph, including three to six major hurricanes of Category 3 and higher with top winds of at least 111 mph.

In April, Colorado State University meteorologists predicted the 2020 hurricane season could bring 16 named storms — four more than the average.