Atlantic hurricane season opens with Tropical Storm Arthur inundating Gulf coast

The first tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season formed on Wednesday near the Gulf coast, bringing intense rain and the threat of dangerous flash floods to states including Texas and Louisiana, meteorologists said.

Tropical Storm Arthur was a disorganized cluster of storms that brought rain for days over parts of eastern Mexico and the Gulf. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said conditions were conducive for a short-lived tropical storm to form.

The National Hurricane Center director, Michael Brennan, said during a briefing that flash flood warnings were already being issued in the Houston metro area, with more likely to follow across the region, even after the center of the storm passes.

“The main threat from Arthur is going to be a prolonged, multiday, heavy rainfall event that could produce dangerous to life-threatening flash flooding,” Brennan said.

Houston is hosting a World Cup match on Wednesday between Portugal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The stadium is covered, and no plans have been announced to move or reschedule the match.

The center of Tropical Storm Arthur was located on Wednesday morning about 40 miles (65km) east-north-east of Port O’Connor, Texas, according to an advisory. The storm was moving north-east near 9mph (15km/h), and an increase in forward speed was expected.

Arthur had maximum sustained winds of 40mph (64km/h). Little change in strength is expected before the center moves over land, forecasters said. Weakening is anticipated once the storm moves inland, and it could dissipate by Wednesday night or early Thursday.

Life-threatening flash flooding and urban flooding were the main threats as Arthur skirted the Gulf coast. The National Hurricane Center said in its key messages that flooding was likely through Friday over parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Florida panhandle.

Arthur is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5-10in (13-25cm), with isolated higher totals near 20in (50cm). The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.

Swells generated by Arthur are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the north-western Gulf coast for the next couple of days. Tornadoes are possible through Thursday.