Bertha Back to Hurricane; 1,500 Rescues in O.C.
At 17 days and counting, Bertha is the longest-lived July named storm on record for the Atlantic Ocean (storms are named once they reach tropical storm status). Bertha attained tropical storm status (maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph) on July 3 and hurricane status (maximum sustained winds of at least 74 mph) on July 7. It dropped back down to a tropical storm on July 13, before becoming a hurricane again yesterday.
Bertha flooded roads and knocked out electricity in Bermuda on Monday, but there were no reported injuries. The storm is now smack-dab in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and is of no direct threat to land. However, even from hundreds of miles away, Bertha has caused heavy surf and rip currents along the Atlantic coast. In Ocean City alone, lifeguards made 1,500 rescues during a seven-day stretch starting July 9.
By Dan Stillman |
July 19, 2008; 11:00 AM ET
Tropical Weather
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Posted by: CapitalClimate | July 19, 2008 11:29 AM
TD 3 is now Cristobal.
Posted by: CapitalClimate | July 19, 2008 1:51 PM
Too bad that Cristobal is going to slide out to sea and miss the Carolinas. They really need the rain and the firefighters were hoping that this would help to put out the swamp fire.
Posted by: JT | July 19, 2008 3:27 PM
Currently 93 F. Clouds: Some building cumulus, especially to S & E. A few patches of altocumulus overhead to N.
Bombocast: This evening and tonight: Warm and humid. Possible cloudiness to S and E in connection w. Cristobal. Low; 73-78, possibly cooler outside Beltway. Tomorrow: Scattered clouds, hot, humid, very low chance (10%) of airmass thunderstorms. High around 95. Potential risks: sunburn, heat exhaustion, heatstroke.
Comments: Model guidance indicates blend of models, ensembles. Subsidence on west edge of Cristobal tends to keep us clear.
Posted by: El Bombo | July 19, 2008 5:29 PM
What about the dance forecast or the errand forecast?
Posted by: Anonymous | July 19, 2008 6:22 PM
Cristobal now a tropical storm: http://www.accuweather.com/news-top-headline.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&date=2008-07-19_21:10
Sounds like this was a somewhat unexpected development.
Posted by: mcleaNed | July 20, 2008 2:12 AM
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Bertha is firmly in control of the July record, but it's far from the all-time longevity record. Ginger 1971 was tracked for 31 days, including 20 as a hurricane. Carrie 1957 was a hurricane for 18 days, and Inga 1969 was around for 26 days, including 17½ as a tropical storm or greater. The top 10 total tracks (including depression and extratropical stages) were all 3 weeks or more.