The center of Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall near the Biloxi Wildlife Management Area in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, the National Hurricane Center and satellite imagery show.
Approximately 1,000 power outages were reported, mainly in Adams, Amite, Lincoln, Pike, Warren and Wilkinson counties, the update said. Sporadic outages are occurring across lower Mississippi, and utilities are working to restore service as quickly as possible.
The U.S. National Weather Service in New Orleans has lowered storm surge expectations to 1 to 3 feet. Forecasters said gusty easterly winds are expected to turn southeast by Thursday evening and continue into Friday morning, with some gusts over 40 mph possible and gusts over 50 mph offshore.
Minor coastal flooding is expected Wednesday night into Thursday morning as southerly onshore winds coincide with high tide. In the lower six counties, a few roads have reported minor flooding, and the update advised residents to park cars on higher ground in low-lying areas prone to onshore flooding.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has not received any requests for assistance, and the state said it remains in contact with local emergency managers while monitoring conditions. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
