The Storm That Wouldn't Quit: Hurricane Bertha Reforms

After nearly a week as a tropical storm, and 15 days into its life, Bertha grew back into a hurricane July 18. She is by far the longest-lived tropical storm ever recorded int the Atlantic during the month of July. Bertha lost strength on July 19 and soon dissipated, leaving behind only her name in the annals of storm history.

Photo: NOAA

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Bertha is a hurricane, again.

Fifteen days after forming as a tropical storm in the far eastern Atlantic off the coast of Africa, and nearly a week after losing hurricane strength the first time, Hurricane Bertha has reformed, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Bertha is already the longest-lived tropical storm ever recorded during July in the Atlantic, a record it's held for more than two days. The previous record-holder was a 1916 storm that lasted 12 days and change, according to Bloomberg.

The second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season has proved surprising and perplexing as it slowly moves through warm Atlantic waters.

It reached hurricane strength July 7, then quickly grew into a Category 3 storm, a rare occurrence for July. The tropical storm season typically peaks in mid-September, and hurricanes, let alone major hurricanes, are infrequent earlier than about mid-August.

Bertha lost hurricane strength just before brushing by Bermuda July 14, bought she still brought strong winds and rain to the island, and strong surf as far away as the U.S. East Coast. Now, she's grown into a hurricane again.

Bertha's strength and long life may not bode well for the rest of the tropical storm season.

National Hurricane Center

Forecasters have predicted an above-average hurricane season for the Atlantic, where the storms most damaging to the U.S. form, could spawn 12 to 16 named storms, including six to nine hurricanes and as many as five major hurricanes.

The first tropical storm of the Atlantic season, Arthur, brought punishing rains to parts of Central America June 1, right in time for the official start of the hurricane season.

Hurricane Bertha's formation followed an active period in the eastern Pacific Ocean, where three tropical storms and the first hurricane of the eastern Pacific season, Hurricane Boris, formed within days of each other last week. Hurricane Elida, the third hurricane of the season and second in the eastern Pacific, lost strength and was downgraded to a tropical storm Friday; later the same day, however, Tropical Storm Fausto grew into Hurricane Fausto, the fourth hurricane of the American tropical storm season, and the third in the eastern Pacific in less than a month.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center have predicted that conditions will spawn a below-average storm season in the eastern Pacific, with 11-16 named storms, including five to eight hurricanes, as many as three of them major (Category 3 or greater) storms.

2008 Tropical Storms and Hurricanes - Atlantic

Tropical Storm Arthur formed quickly on May 31 off Belize, lost tropical storm strength in fewer than 24 hours, and brought punishing rains of 10-15 inches to parts of the Yucatán Peninsula, including Mexico and Guatemala.


NOAA

Hurricane Bertha formed as a tropical storm July 3 in the far eastern Atlantic, then debuted as the Atlantic's first hurricane July 7 and quickly grew to major hurricane status. By the time it affected land, July 14 in Bermuda, it was a strong tropical storm, causing rough surf and 3-5 inches of rain. It broke the record for longest-lived July storm and on July 18 reformed into a hurricane.


NASA

2008 Tropical Storm and Hurricane Names - Atlantic

Christobal
Dolly
Edouard
Fay
Gustav
Hanna
Ike
Josephine
Kyle
Laura
Marco
Nana
Omar
Paloma
Rene
Sally
Teddy
Vicky
Wilfred

2008 Tropical Storms and Hurricanes - Pacific

Tropical Storm Alma brought heavy rains and winds to the Central American nations of Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala after forming May 29.

Hurricane Boris formed near Baja California and headed west into the Pacific, before reaching hurricane strength July 1.

Tropical Storm Cristina formed near Hawaii June 29 but dissipated before making landfall.

Tropical Storm Douglas formed July 2 and threatened to dump heavy rains on portions of southwest Mexico.

Hurricane Elida formed July 12 as a tropical storm and became the season's second Pacific hurricane July 14 when it became a weak Category 1 storm tracking westward from Mexico.

Tropical Storm Fausto formed July 16 off the coast of Mexico and could grow into a hurricane.

2008 Tropical Storm and Hurricane Names - Pacific

Genevieve
Hernan
Iselle
Julio
Karina
Lowell
Marie
Norbert
Odile
Polo
Rachel
Simon
Trudy
Vance
Winnie
Xavier
Yolanda
Zeke

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