Hurricane Bertha was the longest-lived Atlantic tropical cyclone on record during July, as well as the furthest east system to attain tropical storm intensity during the month. The second named storm, first hurricane, and first major hurricane of the active 2008 season, Bertha developed into a tropical depression on July 3 from a tropical wave that departed western Africa two days prior. On a west-northwest to northwest track, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Bertha six hours formation and ultimately attained hurricane intensity on July 7. A period of rapid deepening brought the cyclone to its peak as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) late that afternoon. Changes in wind shear and the storm's internal structure allowed Bertha to fluctuate in intensity ov