Tropical Storm Arthur becomes first named storm of the season, bringing flash flood threats

The forecast for Tropical Storm Arthur calls for up to 20 inches of rain in some areas. After hitting the Texas coast, it’s expected to douse parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida.

The first named storm of the hurricane season weakened Wednesday night, but forecasters warned that it still posed a threat of massive amounts of rain and continued flash flooding.

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The heavy rain and flood risk is due to Tropical Storm Arthur, which formed off Texas on Wednesday morning. Storms get names once their wind speeds reach or exceed 39 mph.

By around 10 p.m. CT, the storm had degenerated to a low pressure area — but the National Weather Service warned that “life-threatening flooding” was expected to continue in the southeastern U.S.