Hurricane Bertha (2008) New Jersey. Three rip currents also caused 55 injuries throughout beaches in Delaware. The injuries ranged from minor scrapes to broken bones. Four people were also injured in North Carolina, one of which nearly drowned as he had aspirated water shortly before a lifeguard rescued him. At least 60 people had to be rescued from the rough seas over a two-day span. Lasting 17 days, Hurricane Bertha holds the records for the longest-lived July Atlantic tropical cyclone on record. It also set the record for the easternmost-forming tropical storm during the month, at 24.7°W. Hurricane Bertha (2008) Hurricane Bertha was
Hurricane Bertha (2008) 77 °F (25 °C), and its overall appearance was characterized by intermittent bursts of deep convection near the center. Eventually, by late on July 5, Bertha began to enter warmer waters and gain organization. Convection coalesced throughout July 6, and a series of microwave passes later that day indicated the formation of an eye-like feature, despite some tilt to Bertha's low- and mid-level circulations. Rapid deepening ensued as the aforementioned eye became readily apparent and convection in the eyewall cooled; Bertha became the season's first hurricane around 06:00 UTC on July 7, and by 21:00 UTC that afternoon, attained its