Tropical Storm Bertha delays flights, disrupts NAHJ conference
Tropical Storm Bertha caused hundreds of delayed flights into and out of New Orleans Wednesday as the storm brushed past southeast Louisiana. But the city’s signature resilience was on full display to kick off the 2026 National Association of Hispanic Journalists conference.
Under gray skies and the threat of heavy rain, NAHJ officials expected a Second Line parade to continue through downtown streets to welcome journalists in unmistakable New Orleans fashion.
The storm put conference organizers and city officials on alert as thousands of journalists and journalism students arrived for the annual gathering.
“It seems like everyone was delayed because of the storm,” said Zaydee Sanchez, NAHJ Visual Taskforce president, who traveled from Los Angeles, California.
The Visual Taskforce is a team that captures visual content throughout the conference.
Sanchez arrived in New Orleans at 4 p.m. after she expected to arrive early Tuesday morning. She said over the phone she had to delegate her responsibilities as president due to the delays. Despite the travel issues, she said the conference is “still going and people are showing up.”
Forecasters warned of periods of heavy rain, gusty winds and localized flooding, creating travel headaches while leaving the conference’s opening events under close watch.
Tropical systems are a familiar part of life along the Gulf Coast, where warm waters help fuel storms during the Atlantic hurricane season.
“It’s really a coastal storm, so we got lucky,” said Lucy Bustamante, a WVU TV reporter who has been updating the NAHJ board on the weather.
The opening reception starts at 6 p.m., when NAHJ attendees will follow a Second Line parade, a traditional march down city streets with blaring horns and waving handkerchiefs, on a short journey from the New Orleans Marriott hotel to famed concert venue, the House of Blues.
From there, conference attendees will kick off a 4-day expo centered on Latinos in news.
NAHJ has been in contact with the city’s Crisis Management team and the mayor’s office, said Dunia Elvir, NAHJ President.
“So far, the news is good. It’s moving south, it’s dissipating,” Elvir said. “The city is pretty confident that we’re not gonna get nothing more than a rain.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, Bertha had weakened and was about 25 miles southeast of New Orleans. The National Weather Service predicts Bertha will move along Louisiana’s coast and into the upper coast of Texas by Thursday evening.
Yaneth Guillen-Diaz, NAHJ Executive Director, said hotel and property management will work with attendees arriving late due to the storm.
“They are not gonna cancel anyone’s reservations,” Guillen-Diaz said. “Even if they come late, they are gonna be open to support everybody.”
The NAHJ board recommended attendees monitor the weather and travel arrangements, as well as watch for emails and social media announcements from the organization.
James Gordon is a senior at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. James is the editor in chief for the student publication, The Signpost. He aspires to cover news in and around the greater Salt Lake City metro area. James can be contacted at jeg.jamesgordon [at} gmail [dot] com.
