Two (2010)

A small tropical cyclone formed from a tropical wave that moved off Africa on 24 June and gradually organized in the western Caribbean. A low formed over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico on 7 July, and the system became Tropical Depression Two near 0000 UTC 8 July about 250 nautical miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas. Steered first northwest then abruptly west, the depression crossed extreme southern Texas into northeastern Mexico and degenerated to a remnant low early on 9 July, dissipating over northern Mexico by 10 July.

The system made a single landfall near 1400 UTC 8 July on the southern end of South Padre Island just northeast of Port Isabel, Texas. At landfall it was a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds estimated near 30 kt (about 35 mph) and a central pressure near 1006 mb.

The depression’s peak observed intensity was about 30 kt (≈35 mph) with a minimum pressure around 1005–1006 mb, making it a tropical depression rather than a tropical storm by available surface reports. Aircraft data around 1200 UTC 8 July suggested it was near tropical-storm strength, but no surface reports confirmed tropical-storm-force winds.

Storm surge along extreme south Texas reached about 1–2 feet. Rainfall totals from the depression were generally modest in Texas, about 1–3 inches across extreme south Texas; additional rains occurred over northern Mexico and contributed to ongoing major flooding along the Rio Grande that had been started by Hurricane Alex.

No casualties or storm-related damages were reported. Tropical storm warnings were issued for the coast from Baffin Bay, Texas, to Rio San Fernando, Mexico, beginning 0300 UTC 8 July and were cancelled at 1800 UTC the same day after landfall.

Forecasters noted the system’s development was harder to predict than usual: the disturbance was given low to medium chances of development for several days and was only upgraded to a high chance late on 7 July, shortly before it became a depression.