The Atlantic hurricane season has officially begun, and it's already bringing the kind of weather that makes you reconsider that beach vacation. Tropical Storm Arthur formed Wednesday near the Gulf coast, bringing intense rain and the threat of dangerous flash floods to states including Texas and Louisiana, according to meteorologists.
Arthur is a disorganized cluster of storms that has been drenching parts of eastern Mexico and the Gulf for days. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said conditions were ripe for a short-lived tropical storm to form, and Arthur obliged.
“The main threat from Arthur is going to be a prolonged, multiday, heavy rainfall event that could produce dangerous to life-threatening flash flooding,” said Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, during a briefing. Flash flood warnings were already being issued in the Houston metro area, with more likely to follow even after the storm's center passes.
Tragedy struck when a 15-year-old boy apparently drowned in a flooded retention pond outside Houston on Tuesday evening. A group of teens was playing near a construction zone when the boy entered the water, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. Rescue workers found his body using sonar technology after an extensive search. “This incident serves as a solemn reminder of the dangers associated with floodwaters, particularly following periods of heavy rainfall,” the sheriff's office said in a social media post.
Meanwhile, 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. Because nothing says "soccer fever" like flash flood warnings.
As of Wednesday morning, Arthur was centered about 55 miles east-northeast of Port O'Connor, Texas, moving northeast at 9 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. Little change in strength is expected before the storm moves over land, with weakening anticipated once it moves inland. It could dissipate by Wednesday night or early Thursday.
Life-threatening flash flooding and urban flooding remain the main threats as Arthur skirts the Gulf coast. The National Hurricane Center warned that flooding is likely through Friday over parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida panhandle. Rainfall totals of 5-10 inches are expected, with isolated higher totals near 20 inches. The combination of storm surge and tide will flood normally dry coastal areas. 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. And just for good measure, tornadoes are possible through Thursday.