Tropical Storm Bertha drifts toward land as Hurricane Fausto forms in the eastern Pacific

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Tropical Storm Bertha formed Monday evening in the Gulf of Mexico south of the Florida Panhandle as it drifts erratically toward populated coastal areas bearing a threat of heavy rain, storm surge and damaging wind gusts, forecasters say.

Meanwhile, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Fausto formed far from Mexico's Baja California peninsula and posed no threat to land Monday night.

The center of Bertha was located about 140 miles (225 km) south of Panama City, Florida, in the northern Gulf. Maximum sustained winds were around 40 mph (65 kph) and some additional strengthening is expected as the storm approaches land, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.

The slow-moving storm drifted for hours on Monday, but is expected to stay near or along the northern Gulf Coast early this week, unleashing heavy rain on coastal areas of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana as it pushes west toward Texas.

Bertha is the second tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Tropical Storm Arthur last month brought heavy rainfall to the southeastern United States.

The storm was nearly stationary by Monday night, but it was expected to make a west-northwestward or westward turn toward the coast over the next few days, according to the hurricane center.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for a wide area from the Alabama-Florida border westward to southeastern Louisiana at the Jefferson and Plaquemines parish line. A storm surge watch also has been posted from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama-Florida border on the Gulf Coast.

Potentially life-threatening storm surges of up to four feet (1.2 meters) could occur in portions of the Louisiana, Alabama and Florida, the hurricane center said, warning Bertha could spin off an isolated tornado or two over the Florida Big Bend region in the week.

Areas of flash flooding will also be possible through Friday along the coast from western Florida to middle Texas, forecasters said. They added that rainfall could total 3 to 5 inches (7 to 12 centimeters) along the Louisiana coastline with higher amounts in some scattered areas.

Red flags were flying on the beach at Orange Beach, Alabama, cautioning swimmers about high surf and currents. In Escambia County, Florida, emergency officials offered sand for people living in flood-prone areas to use for sandbags.

Fausto gained hurricane status Monday night and was about 745 miles (1,200 km) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, forecasters said.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Fausto had top sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and was moving to the west-northwest at 9 mph 15 (kph).

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect though ocean swells generated by the storm could pummel the Baja California coast and cause life-threatening surf and rip tide conditions, the center said.

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration taken at 7:31pm EDT shows Tropical Storm Bertha in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday, July 21, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This GOES-19 GeoColor satellite image provided by NOAA shows a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico, Monday, July 20, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (NOAA via AP)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — New York Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. has been activated from the injured list after missing nearly three months with a back issue.

The Mets announced the move before starting their three-game series at Milwaukee on Monday night. They optioned infielder Eric Wagaman to Triple-A Syracuse and sent infielder Zack Short outright to Syracuse.

Robert, 28, last played for the Mets on April 26 before going on the injured list with a lumbar spine disk herniation. He was in the starting lineup Monday and went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in an 8-3 loss to the Brewers.

“He’s going to be a part of the outfield mix,” Mets interim manager Andy Green said before the game. “I think realistically, two out of three days is probably what we’re looking at, at the outset here. We’ll get a couple of weeks down the road and decide what changes need to be made to that.”

Robert’s return gives the Mets more options in the outfield.

A.J. Ewing, who was getting much of the playing time in center field while Robert was hurt, started in right on Monday while five-time All-Star Juan Soto was in left. Carson Benge, who has made starts at all three outfield spots this season, wasn’t in the starting lineup.

Green said Robert will primarily play center field rather than moving all over the outfield.

“I think that’s where we’re at right now, in the short term,” Green said. “The other guys (in the outfield) have moved around a lot in their minor league career, so they’re comfortable playing other positions. He hasn’t. So on the fly in the middle of the season, you do factor in the comfort level of players, where they’ve played consistently.”

The Mets acquired Robert in a January trade that sent infielder Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley to the Chicago White Sox. The 2023 All-Star was batting .224 with a .327 on-base percentage, two homers, eight RBIs and two steals in 24 games this season before going on the injured list.

Wagaman was hitting .162 with a .262 on-base percentage, two homers and four RBIs in 21 games with the Mets.

Short went 1 for 14 in six games with the Mets, who claimed him off waivers from the Detroit Tigers last month. He hit .167 with a .304 on-base percentage, no homers and two RBIs in 23 games with Detroit.

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FILE - New York Mets' Luis Robert Jr. runs to score on his solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, April 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, File)