Tropical Storm Arthur has caused an estimated $4 to $6 billion in total damage and economic loss, according to a preliminary assessment by weather forecasting firm AccuWeather. As reported by Antigua News Room, the storm dumped more than 20 inches of rain across parts of the Gulf Coast, triggering widespread flooding, infrastructure damage, flight disruptions, and prolonged power outages.
Flooding from heavy rainfall was identified as the costliest impact associated with the system, which formed in the far western Gulf along the Texas coastline. Dozens of roads were closed, hundreds of homes were inundated, and numerous high-water rescues were carried out. At least two fatalities have been reported.
"Flooding, travel disruptions, power outages and business interruptions can quickly add up to billions of dollars in impacts for families, businesses and communities," said AccuWeather Vice President of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin. "Arthur is another reminder that tropical systems do not need to reach hurricane strength to cause significant, expensive and even deadly damage and economic losses."
Authorities cautioned that the preliminary estimate will likely be revised, as damage assessments remain incomplete in several affected areas and the storm's effects continue to be felt.
AccuWeather designated Arthur a Tropical Storm on Tuesday, though it retained that classification for fewer than 24 hours. The company rated the storm a 2 on its RealImpact™ Scale for Hurricanes, citing life-threatening flooding as the primary basis for that rating. AccuWeather also noted it was the first known source to release an Eye Path™ for a Tropical Rainstorm the previous Monday evening.
"Arthur is a clear example of why the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes is so important," DePodwin added. "Instead of classifying a storm's threat by just its wind speed, the scale accounts for the many other threats caused by tropical systems. Storm surge, and in the case of Arthur flooding, are typically responsible for more widespread impacts than wind damage alone, and more people are killed by water than wind in tropical systems."
Unlike the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which classifies storms solely by wind speed, the AccuWeather RealImpact™ Scale incorporates flooding rain, storm surge, and projected economic damage and loss. AccuWeather's total damage estimates include both insured and uninsured losses and account for property damage, wage and job losses, crop damage, infrastructure costs, supply chain disruptions, flight delays, evacuation expenses, emergency management costs, and long-term health impacts.
