HOUSTON — Tropical Storm Arthur formed off the Texas coast on Wednesday, becoming the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, was centered about 60 miles east-northeast of Port O'Connor, Texas, and 165 miles west-southwest of Lake Charles, Louisiana, as of midday Wednesday. It was moving northeast at 9 mph and was forecast to move parallel to the upper Texas coast before making landfall in southwestern Louisiana late Wednesday or early Thursday, forecasters said.
Tropical storm warnings remained in effect for portions of the Texas and Louisiana coasts. Arthur is expected to bring heavy rainfall, with 5 to 10 inches possible across parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through Friday, isolated amounts up to 20 inches in some spots, the hurricane center warned. Flash flooding is the primary threat.
"Residents should prepare for significant rainfall and potential flooding," a National Hurricane Center spokesperson said in a statement. "Avoid driving through flooded roads."
The system developed from a disturbance that had already produced heavy rain over eastern Mexico and the western Gulf of Mexico. It strengthened into a tropical storm as it moved offshore, acquiring the necessary organization and gale-force winds.
Arthur's formation comes slightly ahead of the average first named storm date of June 20 for the period 1991-2020, according to hurricane center climatology data. NOAA had forecast a below-normal 2026 Atlantic season overall, citing cooler sea surface temperatures and other factors.
Coastal areas face risks of minor flooding, gusty winds and a few brief tornadoes possible in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi. No major structural damage has been reported so far, officials said.
Local emergency managers in Texas and Louisiana urged residents to monitor updates and avoid unnecessary travel in low-lying areas. Sandbags were available in some Mississippi locations as a precaution.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Arthur is the first of what forecasters expect could be a relatively quiet year.
