Bertha weakens to a tropical depression

Another storm got a jump on the official hurricane season, but it won’t be around long.

By 2 p.m. Wednesday, Bertha had weakened to a tropical depression.

On Wednesday morning, the NHC upgraded an area of low pressure that it had been watching near the coast of South Carolina to Tropical Storm Bertha. A few hours later, Bertha made landfall about 20 miles from Charleston with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, according to the NHC.

TRACKING THE TROPICS: Interactive map, forecast and more

NHC forecasters say heavy rainfall could cause flash flooding over parts of the Carolinas. There could be rough marine conditions along the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas on Wednesday.

Along America Street in Charleston, residents awoke Wednesday to an intersection that had become a water-filled canal. Cars parked on the curb had water up to their doors, The Post and Courier reported. Garbage cans had spilled over and dirty diapers, magazines and food scraps clogged drains in the area, the newspaper reported.

Tropical Storm Arthur formed over a week ago, brushing the North Carolina coast before it finally headed out into the Atlantic Ocean.

June 1 is the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Tropical Storm Bertha at 2 p.m.

NHC discussion and outlook

At 2 p.m., the center of Tropical Depression Bertha was located near latitude 33.7 North, longitude 80.2 West. Bertha is moving toward the north-northwest near 15 mph. This general motion is expected to continue through tonight, followed by a turn to the north along with an increase in forward speed on Thursday. On the forecast track, Bertha will move across northern South Carolina later today and into central North Carolina by tonight.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts, mainly along the coast to the east of the center. Additional weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Bertha is expected to become a remnant low tonight.

At Oyster Landing, South Carolina, a wind gust to 41 mph was reported at 12:45 p.m.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb (29.74 inches).

Hazards affecting land

RAINFALL: Bertha is expected to produce total rain accumulation of 2 to 4 inches with isolated totals of 8 inches across eastern and central South Carolina into west central to far southeastern North Carolina and southwest Virginia. Given very saturated antecedent conditions, this rainfall may produce life-threatening flash flooding, aggravate and prolong ongoing river flooding and produce rapid out of bank rises on smaller rivers.

WIND: Gusty winds will continue over eastern South Carolina for the remainder of Wednesday.

Watches and warnings

All Tropical Storm Warnings have been discontinued.

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.