Hurricane Bertha (2008)

Basin

North Atlantic

Dates

July 3, 2008 to July 21, 2008

Peak strength

Category 3, 110 kt (127 mph)

Lowest pressure

952 mb (28.11 inHg)

Landfall

No; closest approach 625 km (388 mi)

Accumulated cyclone energy

28.4

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

330 nmi (611 km, 380 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

45 nmi (83 km, 52 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

15 nmi (28 km, 17 mi)

Overall size

325 nmi (602 km, 374 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

130 kt (150 mph)

Fastest the center moved

43 kt (49 mph)

Identifier

AL022008

The sources count different things and are not added together.

NOAA’s Storm Events database, the record National Weather Service offices compile months after a storm, as compiled March 2026.

Deaths

3 (3 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

59

Property damage

none recorded

Crop damage

none recorded

Events recorded

7 in 3 reports from 3 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

6 rip current, 1 high surf.

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

The combination of long period swells from distant Hurricane Bertha and a full moon produced numerous strong rips along the beaches of New Hanover County. There were over 40 rescues at Carolina Beach, 35 rescues Saturday at Wrightsville Beach, and a couple rescues between Carolina and Kure Beach. Lifeguards at Wrightsville Beach estimated a two day total of 60 rescues. There were several injuries, including a 24 year old male who aspirated water and would have drowned except for the surfers who rescued him. Several people were taken to the hospital for minor lacerations and observation.

New Hanover, North Carolina · Rip Current · Jul 12, 14:00 UTC

• Tropical Storm ArthurNorth Atlantic · 2008Tropical Storm40 kt · 1004 mb
• Tropical Storm CristobalNorth Atlantic · 2008Tropical Storm55 kt · 998 mb
• Hurricane DollyNorth Atlantic · 2008Cat 285 kt · 963 mb
• Tropical Storm EdouardNorth Atlantic · 2008Tropical Storm55 kt · 996 mb
• Tropical Storm FayNorth Atlantic · 2008Tropical Storm60 kt · 986 mb
• Hurricane GustavNorth Atlantic · 2008Cat 4135 kt · 941 mb
• Hurricane HannaNorth Atlantic · 2008Cat 175 kt · 977 mb
• Hurricane IkeNorth Atlantic · 2008 · 195 deaths · $38 billionCat 4125 kt · 935 mb
• Tropical Storm JosephineNorth Atlantic · 2008Tropical Storm55 kt · 994 mb
• Hurricane KyleNorth Atlantic · 2008Cat 175 kt · 984 mb
• Hurricane LauraNorth Atlantic · 2008Cat 170 kt · 990 mb
• Tropical Storm MarcoNorth Atlantic · 2008Tropical Storm55 kt · 998 mb
• Tropical Storm NanaNorth Atlantic · 2008Tropical Storm35 kt · 1004 mb
• Hurricane OmarNorth Atlantic · 2008Cat 4115 kt · 958 mb
• Unnamed tropical depressionNorth Atlantic · 2008Tropical Depression25 kt · 1004 mb
• Hurricane PalomaNorth Atlantic · 2008 · 19 deathsCat 4125 kt · 944 mb

A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.

Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.

• Tropical cyclone report, National Hurricane Center
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Wikipedia article: Hurricane Bertha