The system producing the heavy rain soaking the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast over the past several days is now Tropical Storm Arthur.

The National Hurricane Center has been watching this system over the past several days as a weak center of circulation along the Texas Gulf Coast. With a close circulation and wind speeds in excess of 40 mph, the upgrade to a tropical storm was merited late Wednesday afternoon.

As the WeatherRadar shows and we discussed yesterday, the biggest concern with this tropical system is heavy rain that could produce flooding as it moves northeastward into the lower Mississippi Valley over the next 12 to 24 hours. Several inches of rainfall are expected.

Flood watches extend across extreme eastern Texas eastward into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and west-central and southwestern Georgia. Remember to turn around, don't drown.