Arthur has become the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. It threatens "boatloads" of rain from Texas into the Mississippi River Valley.Show Caption
Tropical Storm Arthur – the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season – formed Wednesday morning, June 17, in the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters from the National Hurricane Center announced.The main impact from the storm will be rain, and lots of it: The storm is forecast to deliver "boatloads" of rain across the Gulf Coast and Southeast over the next few days, forecasters said, potentially leading to "life-threatening" flash floodsAs of 11 a.m. ET, the center of the storm was about 40 miles from Port O'Connor, Texas, and was moving northeast at 9 mph. Maximum sustained winds were measured at 40 mph.Deep tropical moisture will inundate the coast and deliver "boatloads" of rain from Texas into the Mississippi River Valley over the next seven days, said Weather Trader meteorologist Ryan Maue in an e-mail to USA TODAY.Another forecaster, Dan DePodwin, AccuWeather's vice president of forecasting operations, said that due to Arthur and other weather systems (such as a stalled frontal boundary and a strong jet stream that helped organize lift), “some parts of Texas and Louisiana have already received 4-6 inches of rain since Sunday [June 14]. The additional downpours .... will pose a serious risk for major flooding that could quickly turn life-threatening."Additionally, "although the storm is forecast to make landfall Wednesday [June 17] night near the Texas/Louisiana border, a high risk to lives and property exists through at least Thursday [June 18] from Texas to Mississippi," DePodwin said. "The flooding risk will continue well past landfall as the moisture from the storm slowly moves east across the Southeast U.S."Below-normal hurricane season expectedArthur is the first named storm of what's expected to be a calmer-than-average season, forecasters said. Thanks primarily to the hurricane-snuffing impacts of El Niño, a "below-normal season" is predicted for 2026 in the Atlantic Ocean basin.Expect to see between eight and 14 named tropical storms this season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's seasonal outlook predicts. That includes three to six hurricanes, one to three of which could be major storms.A typical year averages about 14 tropical storms, seven of which spin into hurricanes, based on weather records from 1991 to 2020.(This story has been updated with new information.)Doyle Rice is a national correspondent for USA TODAY with a focus on weather and climate.
