This infrared satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Hurricane Center shows Tropical Storm Bertha moving towards warmer water and gaining strength in a short time.

According to forecasters, Bertha is expected to become the season's first hurricane. The tropical storm has sustained maximum winds of roughly 50 miles-an-hour, which have augmented to about 65 mph with higher gusts.

Sunday noontime, the storm was centered about 1,185 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands in the Caribbean. Intensifying into a hurricane, Bertha is quickly changing directions, moving toward the west-northwest at about 20 mph. One cannot tell yet where or even if the storm will finally hit land.

However, weather predictors alerted the inhabitants regarding possible flash flooding and mudslides. The Mexican government withdrew a storm warning for the shoreline between Lazaro Cardenas and Acapulco. Nevertheless, a tropical storm watch remained between Lazaro Cardenas and Manzanillo.

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