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, 12 p.m. ET
System type: Tropical storm
System name: Arthur
According to the National Hurricane Center's 12 p.m. Wednesday advisory, the system, which was named Arthur, became a tropical storm with sustained winds of 40 mph after intensifying from a potential tropical cyclone. The name gain was first mentioned in the 11 a.m. update. Tropical Storm Arthur is 60 miles east-northeast of Port Oconnor, Texas and 165 miles west-southwest of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Packing maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, the system is tracking to the northeast at 9 mph.
A tropical storm warning has been extended by forecasters for southward.
Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning for portions of the Louisiana coast.
Changes with this advisory
The Tropical Storm Warning has been extended southward to Sargent, Texas.
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 today.
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...
Port Bolivar, TX to Morgan City, LA...2-4 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 couple of days.
A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?ripCurrents
Tornado A couple of tornadoes are possible through Thursday from the Upper Texas Coast into southern Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the western Florida Panhandle.
Source: National Hurricane Center
United Robots North Carolina
This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 12:40 PM.