MY SPECIAL MESSAGES (WEDNESDAY JUNE 17 2026 4:40 PM EDT)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​

• I have continued my pause on daily updates on the Atlantic tropics on this site despite the start of the 2026 Atlatnic Hurricane season on June 1 due to personal life challenges and relative calm of the Atlantic tropics. I hope to resume daily updates soon. In the meantime refer to the National Hurricane Center (hurricanes.gov) for up to the minute latest information on Atlantic tropical activity.

• Meanwhile the following remarks apply to newly-formed Tropical Storm Arthur currently centered along the southeast Texas coastline as of this writing:​​​​

  • Arthur formed from a tropical low pressure area further aided by upper divergence between an upper vortex over eastern North America and upper ridge over the western Gulf of America, and will continue east-northeastward in deep-layer southwesterly flow between these features. 

  • The speed of the upper westerlies are shearing the heaviest thunderstorms east of the surface swirl center, this combined with land interaction should prevent further strengthening (Arthur has 45 mph maximum sustained winds at the surface as of this writing).

  • For Texas, rainfall impacts have ended from Arthur due to the westerly shear pushing away the thunderstorm tops, however gusty winds and coastal surf are possible along the southeast coastal region (Galveston and vicinity) through tonight.

  • Coastal Louisiana will see gusty winds and coastal surf over the next 24 hours.

  • Expect a swath of heavy rainfall with possible flash flooding for southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, southern Georgia, and northern Florida through the rest of this week.​​​​