Tropical Storm Bertha has reached land, and while forecasters had braced for potentially serious impacts, the damage so far appears to be relatively minor.
Meteorologists credit the El Niño weather pattern with helping to neutralize some of the storm’s most destructive potential, keeping the overall impact more contained than it might otherwise have been.
Despite the lighter-than-expected damage from Bertha, weather officials are not letting their guard down. Abnormally warm water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean continue to create conditions favorable for dangerous storm development, meaning the threat of severe hurricanes and tropical storms remains significant as the season continues.
