A tropical depression was first noted at 1200 UTC on July 13, northeast of Grenada in the Windward Islands, with winds of 35 mph (55 km/h), though whether it had a closed circulation at the time remains unclear.
Nonetheless, the system remained a weak tropical depression for much of its early existence as it moved to the west-northwest through the eastern Caribbean Sea.
Weather reports throughout the Caribbean during this time were sparse and according to José Partagás, a former meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center, the system still may have not formed a closed circulation.
This meant that the low was not classifiable, though the lack of data also meant that there was no evidence to support this claim and the system was kept as a tropical depression in HURDAT, the Atlantic Hurricane Database.
 However, once the depression was located south of Jamaica, it began to slowly strengthen and curve more towards the northwest, reaching tropical storm intensity by 0000 UTC on July 17.
At the time, the system was expected to make landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula.
Ships in the vicinity of the storm reported strong breezes associated with low barometric pressure.
Despite predictions, the system curved from its initial west-northwest movement and more towards the northwest, towards the central Gulf of Mexico.
The tropical storm continued to intensify, attaining hurricane strength as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale at 1800 UTC on July 18 after skirting past the Guanahacabibes Peninsula.

Once in the Gulf of Mexico, intensification substantially lessened as the storm maintained its Category 1 intensity throughout July 19 and July 20.
The hurricane curved in the gulf back to a more westerly direction, while moving at about 10 mph (15 km/h).
A minimum pressure reading of 985 mbar (hPa; 29.09 inHg) was reported offshore south of Louisiana by the ship S.S. Paraguay at 1800 UTC on July 20.
Strengthening resumed late on July 20th as the hurricane tracked almost parallel to the Louisiana coastline towards Texas.
On July 21st, the storm attained its peak intensity as a modern-day Category 3 major hurricane, with sustained winds of 115 mph (175 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 959 mbar (hPa; 28.32 inHg).
Later the same day, the hurricane made landfall at this intensity almost directly over Velasco, Texas, with maximum wind speeds stretching 22 mi (35 km) from the hurricane's center.
Over the following 24 hours, the system rapidly weakened over land and lost tropical characteristics near the Rio Grande during the afternoon of July 22.
A tropical depression was first noted at 1200 UTC on July 13, northeast of Grenada in the Windward Islands, with winds of 35 mph (55 km/h), though whether it had a closed circulation at the time remains unclear. Nonetheless, the system remained a weak tropical depression for much of its early existence as it moved to the west-northwest through the eastern Caribbean Sea. Weather reports throughout the Caribbean during this time were sparse and according to José Partagás, a former meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center, the system still may have not formed a closed circulation. This meant that the low was not classifiable, though the lack of data also meant that there was no evidence to support this claim and the system was kept as a tropical depression in HURDAT, the Atlantic Hurricane Database.  However, once the depression was located south of Jamaica, it began to slowly strengthen and curve more towards the northwest, reaching tropical storm intensity by 0000 UTC on July 17. At the time, the system was expected to make landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula. Ships in the vicinity of the storm reported strong breezes associated with low barometric pressure. Despite predictions, the system curved from its initial west-northwest movement and more towards the northwest, towards the central Gulf of Mexico. The tropical storm continued to intensify, attaining hurricane strength as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale at 1800 UTC on July 18 after skirting past the Guanahacabibes Peninsula.
Once in the Gulf of Mexico, intensification substantially lessened as the storm maintained its Category 1 intensity throughout July 19 and July 20. The hurricane curved in the gulf back to a more westerly direction, while moving at about 10 mph (15 km/h). A minimum pressure reading of 985 mbar (hPa; 29.09 inHg) was reported offshore south of Louisiana by the ship S.S. Paraguay at 1800 UTC on July 20. Strengthening resumed late on July 20th as the hurricane tracked almost parallel to the Louisiana coastline towards Texas. On July 21st, the storm attained its peak intensity as a modern-day Category 3 major hurricane, with sustained winds of 115 mph (175 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 959 mbar (hPa; 28.32 inHg). Later the same day, the hurricane made landfall at this intensity almost directly over Velasco, Texas, with maximum wind speeds stretching 22 mi (35 km) from the hurricane's center. Over the following 24 hours, the system rapidly weakened over land and lost tropical characteristics near the Rio Grande during the afternoon of July 22.
1909 Velasco hurricane