Overview
- The system briefly became Tropical Storm Arthur on Wednesday before collapsing to a remnant low over southeast Texas and then spreading a moisture plume eastward that is driving heavy rains across the Gulf Coast and South.
- The Weather Prediction Center issued a rare Level 4 of 4 high risk for excessive rainfall for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle because forecasters expect training storms and rainfall rates of several inches per hour in some cells.
- Forecasts call for widespread totals of about 5 to 10 inches with isolated amounts near 20 inches in spots, and repeated downpours are producing rapid urban and river flooding on already saturated ground.
- Flooding and severe storms have already caused multiple fatalities and dozens of water rescues, prompted state emergency declarations, spawned tornadoes including an EF1 in Avondale, Louisiana, and forced sandbagging, evacuations and road closures.
- Forecasters give only about a 10% short‑term chance that the remnant will redevelop off the East Coast, and they stress that inland flash flooding remains the immediate and primary danger to residents and responders.