Tropical Storm Arthur downgraded from cyclone as it makes landfall in Texas

Tropical Storm Arthur was downgraded from a cyclone to a low pressure area along the upper Texas coast as it made landfall and lost wind intensity on Thursday. Forecasters still expect the storm to cause life-threatening flooding, property damage and disruptions to commerce and travel. Several inches of rain are expected from the storm in the southeastern US into Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Arthur is the first tropical storm of the season in the Atlantic basin . It is expected to continue weakening as it moves across south-eastern Texas and western Louisiana before crossing the southeast US. Maximum sustained winds were around 35mph (55km/h). All coastal watches and warnings were discontinued on Wednesday, but flooding is likely through Friday over parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and the Florida panhandle, the hurricane center said. Some communities in Louisiana and Mississippi were distributing sand bags to residents and cleared debris from drainage systems ahead of the storm. “The main threat from Arthur is going to be a prolonged, multiday, heavy rainfall event that could produce dangerous to life-threatening flash flooding,” National Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan said. …