Wednesday, June 17: Latest insights on Tropical Storm Arthur from the National Hurricane Center

Article first published: Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 5 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 5 p.m. ET

System type: Tropical storm

System name: Arthur

The National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. Wednesday advisory reported that Arthur was previously a potential tropical cyclone has since gained strength and developed into a tropical storm with winds of 40 mph. The 11 a.m. report was the first to confirm the system's new name. Tropical Storm Arthur is 20 miles north-northwest of Matagorda, Texas and 195 miles west-southwest of Lake Charles, Louisiana. It is moving to the north-northeast at 7 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.

Portions of the Texas and Louisiana coast are placed under a tropical storm warning by forecasters.

Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning for portions of the Louisiana coast.

Warning currently in effect

Tropical Storm Warning for Sargent, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana

Meaning of the warning

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area.

Hazards affecting land

Rainfall Tropical Storm Arthur is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches, with isolated higher totals near 20 inches, through early Friday from the Mid and Upper Texas coast east-northeast into southern and central portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, along with western portions of Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. This could generate dangerous to life-threatening flash flooding.

For a complete forecast of rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Arthur, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?rainqpf and the Flash Flood Risk graphic at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?ero.

For a list of rainfall observations (and wind reports) associated with Tropical Storm Arthur, see the companion storm summary at WBCSCCNS1 with the WMO header ACUS44 KWBC or at the following link: www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc1.html.

Wind. Tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area during the next few hours.

Storm surge. The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Matagorda, TX to the Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA...1-3 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the east of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.

For a complete depiction of areas at risk of storm surge inundation, please see the National Weather Service Peak Storm Surge Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?peakSurge.

Surf. Swells generated by Arthur are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the northwestern Gulf Coast for the next day or two.

A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?ripCurrents

Tornado A few tornadoes are possible late tonight across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi, and tomorrow into parts of Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle.

Source: National Hurricane Center

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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 4:56 PM.