Today’s brief leads with the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur, which have stalled over the Deep South and triggered a rare Level 4 High Risk for excessive rainfall from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle. Louisiana has declared a statewide emergency with flood rescues underway in Avoyelles Parish, Mississippi faced a dam scare near Carriere that emergency officials later resolved, and dangerous heat grips south-central Texas. We also cover the latest NIFC wildfire situation report and a new FEMA major disaster declaration for Delaware. EM Morning Brief is your concise daily update on national and state-by-state emergency management news. Produced by Sitch Radio, an EOC Voices podcast.
Key Takeaways
• Tropical Storm Arthur remnants: A rare Level 4 of 4 High Risk for excessive rainfall covers Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, with five flash flood emergencies declared across southern Louisiana and Mississippi and at least three storm-related deaths.
• Louisiana state of emergency: Governor Landry declared a statewide emergency; flood rescues are underway in Avoyelles Parish, where parts recorded 12 to 26 inches of rain and at least 200 homes flooded, with a Red Cross shelter open in Mansura.
• Mississippi dam scare: Early reports of an Anchor Lake Dam failure near Carriere prompted a precautionary evacuation; the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency later confirmed the dam was not breached and lifted the order. A clean-up worker was killed.
• Texas heat and flooding: Arthur made landfall June 17, two people died in central Texas flash flooding, and Extreme Heat Warnings along and east of I-35 pushed temperatures to 105 to 115 degrees.
• Wildfire posture: NIFC holds the National Preparedness Level at 2, with 27 large fires being suppressed and about 4,988 personnel assigned nationally.
• FEMA Delaware declaration: A Presidential major disaster declaration (FEMA-4916-DR) for a February severe winter storm, Public Assistance only, was published in the Federal Register on June 18.
Sponsors
The NIMS Store - https://thenimsstore.com
Sources
NWS / Weather Prediction Center
• Fox Weather: Life-threatening flash flood emergencies as Arthur’s remnants slam the South
• Washington Post: Where risk remains as Arthur’s remnants sweep through the South
• Weather.com: Flash flood emergency issued due to compromised dam in South Mississippi
National Hurricane Center
• NHC: 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season
• AccuWeather: Tropical Storm Arthur makes landfall in Texas, raises flood risk across southern US
NIFC (Wildfire)
• NIFC: Incident Management Situation Report, June 18, 2026
• NIFC: National Interagency Coordination Center
FEMA
• FEMA: Disasters and Other Declarations
Alabama
• Alabama Public Radio: Alabama and the South get a drenching, and worse, from what’s left of Arthur
• Fox Weather: Life-threatening flash flooding slams multiple states as Arthur sweeps the South
Florida
• MyPanhandle: Local impacts moving in from remnants of Arthur
• Pinellas County: Precautionary boil water notice for Pinellas Park residents
Georgia
Louisiana
• WAFB: Large-scale flood rescue effort launched in Avoyelles Parish
• Louisiana Illuminator: Flooding, tornadoes pound SE Louisiana from fizzled Tropical Storm Arthur
• CBS News: State of emergency declared in Louisiana over deadly flooding
Mississippi
• WWL: Residents urged to evacuate amid risk of Anchor Lake Dam break
• WLOX: Anchor Lake Dam in Carriere at risk of failure
• KTBS: Tropical Storm Arthur remnants cause Mississippi dam scare and widespread flash flooding
Texas
• CBS Austin: Tropical Storm Arthur triggers severe flood warnings across 6 states
• Click2Houston: Houston transitions to a scorching forecast in the wake of Tropical Storm Arthur
