Tropical Storm Bertha Approaches Warmer Waters Tropical Storm Bertha approaches warmer waters over tropical Atlantic; expected to strengthen MIAMI July 6, 2008 (AP) The Associated Press This NOAA satellite image taken Saturday, July 5, 2008 at 2:15 PM EDT shows a few areas of clouds in the Caribbean Sea, but no tropical development is noticed in the area. Clouds on the far right of the image are associated with Tropical Storm Bertha as it roars through the tropical Atlantic Ocean 

Tropical Storm Bertha is approaching warmer waters and is likely to strengthen during the coming days.

At 11 a.m. EDT Sunday, Bertha was centered about 1,185 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands in the Caribbean. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with some higher gusting.

Forecasters say Bertha is expected to strengthen during the next few days and could become the Atlantic season's first hurricane.  

The storm is moving toward the west at about 21 mph. It's still too early to say if or where Bertha will hit land. 

The first named storm this year, Arthur, formed in the Atlantic the day before the season officially started June 1 and soaked the Yucatan Peninsula.