As many as 40 million people across eight states are in the deadly path of Tropical Storm Arthur after the first named storm of hurricane season made landfall Wednesday night.
Arthur, which has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone on Thursday, slammed into the Texas Coast last night, and is now projected to barrel across the South, bringing severe flooding from Louisiana to the Carolinas.
Meteorologists with AccuWeather warned that Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle will see 'extreme' levels of flooding along the coast and in urban areas throughout Thursday, with as much as 12 to 18 inches of rain falling.
Georgia and the Carolinas are expected to be impacted on Friday, as forecasters say Arthur will continue to bring 'life-threatening flooding, property damage and disruptions to commerce and travel.'
AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Duffus warned in a statement: 'Heavy rainfall will be fueled by tropical moisture, delivering rainfall rates of 2-4 inches per hour across portions of the Gulf Coast.'
However, flooding is not the only concern tied to Arthur, as the National Weather Service has also issued a widespread tornado watch across coastal areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
In Mississippi specifically, weather officials upgraded that alert to an official tornado warning in Perry, Greene, Stone, Harrison, Hancock and Pearl River Counties - warning that twisters could touch down at any moment.
NWS said in a statement: 'TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.'
Tropical Storm Arthur made landfall on Wednesday, June 17 in Texas and has moved over the Gulf states on Thursday
Flooding in Texas and Louisiana has already been reported
Dozens of counties throughout Texas were declared a disaster zone as Arthur made landfall along the Gulf Coast
Tropical Storm Arthur's June 17 landfall is the earliest a named storm has hit the US mainland since Tropical Storm Cristobal struck Louisiana on June 7, 2020.
It has been 40 years since a hurricane made a June landfall in the US, when Bonnie landed in Texas in 1986.
Only one tropical storm made a direct hit on the US last year, when Tropical Storm Chantal struck South Carolina on July 6, 2025.
Although the weather phenomenon known as El Niño is expected to make this Atlantic hurricane season weaker than normal, forecasters have warned that conditions could particularly extreme between Texas and the Carolinas all summer.
While El Niño flips global weather patterns, making it warmer in the Pacific and cooler in the Atlantic, it also pushes the natural jet stream flowing over the US farther south, creating a continuous stream of turbulent air over the southern half of the country.
AccuWeather's Paul Pastelok told the Daily Mail that the 800-mile-long corridor between Houston, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia is likely to see continuous extreme weather events, even if they do not become tropical storms and hurricanes.
'As far as heavy rainfall and tornadoes, Houston to Atlanta, Orlando and parts of the Mid-Atlantic, pick a city... those are more concerning, especially as you get into later this year,' Pastelok warned.
Arthur's path on Thursday and Friday will follow that exact route, according to the latest tracking models, likely exiting in the Atlantic after surging through North Carolina on Saturday.
The impact of Arthur is projected to be 'extreme' in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama
Spaghetti models show the remnants of Arthur moving east from Thursday into Friday
Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 101 Texas counties due to the severe storms, heavy rainfall and flooding cause by Arthur this week.
Meanwhile, severe heat advisories have been issued by NWS in several areas surrounding Arthur, including in Florida, North Carolina and throughout Southern and Central Texas.
Intense humidity moving with the Gulf storm is making temperatures feel 10 to 15°F hotter than it actually is for millions throughout the Southeast.
The heat index, which is the 'feels like' temperature on days when the air is more humid, is expected to reach 110°F throughout Southern Florida on Thursday, including on Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
Conditions are expected to be even worse in South Texas, where the heat index will rise to 120°F in Corpus Christi, Laredo and San Antonio.
NWS said: 'Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles. Car interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.'
