Due to its location on the Gulf of Mexico, Port Arthur is vulnerable to hurricanes and other intense tropical weather, as well as extreme heatwaves, high humidity, and freak tornadoes.

Since its inception, the city has experienced several incidences of extreme weather resulting in significant damages and casualties.

In 1886, a destructive hurricane hit the coast, causing the remaining residents to dismantle their homes and move to Beaumont.

The 18.5-mile (29.8 km) man-made island was created between 1899 and 1908 by the Corps of Engineers to support development of the port.

The refinery was enlarged in 1902, and a pipeline connected to the Glenn Pool Oil Reserve in Oklahoma.

[12][13] In 1977, a slate of four black candidates (McElroy, Benjamin, Linden, and Strawder) challenged four white city council members, including Mayor Bernis Sadler.

[16][17] Port Arthur is located on the eastern edge of Jefferson County on the west side of Sabine Lake.

[18] It is bordered to the northeast by Orange County, Texas, and to the southeast, across Sabine Lake, by Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

People loaded into the unfinished railroad roundhouse seeking shelter; the building promptly collapsed, killing four.

In the end, 13 people died, homes were destroyed, and a pleasure pier was severely damaged.

The storm caused widespread significant wind damage throughout the city, with power outages lasting several weeks in some locations.

An 84 mph (135 km/h) wind gust was recorded at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport just northwest of the city.

[20] On August 5, 2008, Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall just west of Port Arthur.

Due to the storm's unusually large size, effects were widespread and were felt across much of Southeast Texas.

Port Arthur sustained significant wind damage and many of the city's residents lost power.

On August 29, 2017, after Harvey made a second landfall at tropical storm status, 26 inches of rain fell in a single day at the airport near Port Arthur, triggering widespread flash flooding in the city.

According to the Port Arthur mayor Derrick Freeman, 20,000 homes were flooded with up to 6 ft of water.

[23][24] However, turning almost due north, Laura ended up making its final landfall near Cameron, Louisiana.

[25] Port Arthur is tied with Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Astoria, Oregon, as the most humid city in the contiguous United States.

[35] Home to a large portion of United States oil refining capacity, Port Arthur has seen renewed investment in several key installations.

Motiva Enterprises began undertaking a major addition to its western Port Arthur refinery, expanding capacity to 600,000 barrels per day (95,000 m3/d).

[36] Premcor Refining (now Valero) completed a $775 million expansion of its petrochemical plant, and BASF/Fina commenced operations of a new $1.75 billion gasification and cogeneration unit on premises of its current installation, which had just completed its own $1 billion upgrade.

[43][42] Hurricane Rita struck a direct hit on the Proctor Street Seawall, and damaged many downtown businesses and homes.

UGK, perhaps Texas's most influential hip-hop group, originated in Port Arthur before relocating to Houston.

Offering a full variety of basic core curriculum classes in which credits are transferable throughout Texas public universities, Lamar State College is recognized for associate programs in commercial music, nursing, legal assistant, and process technology.

[60] The portion around Southeast Texas Regional Airport is served by the Nederland Independent School District.

[59] In Orange County, the portions of Port Arthur are in Bridge City Independent School District.

The station is served by Amtrak's Sunset Limited line, with a train arriving thrice weekly in each direction.