On September 14, the National Hurricane Center began monitoring an upper-level low off the west coast of Florida for possible tropical development.
During the next several days, the system moved westward across the Gulf of Mexico, though the NHC gave the disturbance only a low chance of development.
By September 17, the system had reached the east coast of Texas.
Soon afterward, organization in the system rapidly increased, and at 17:00 UTC that day, the system organized into Tropical Depression Eleven, just off the coast of Texas.
At 17:45 UTC, an observation deck at Freeport, Texas recorded sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) with gusts of 47 mph (76 km/h), indicating that the depression had strengthened to Tropical Storm Imelda.
Shortly thereafter, at 18:30 UTC, Imelda made landfall near Freeport, Texas at peak intensity, with maximum 1-minute sustained winds of 45 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 1,003 millibars (29.6 inHg).
Imelda weakened after landfall, becoming a tropical depression at 03:00 UTC on the next day.
At that time, the NHC passed on the responsibility for issuing advisories to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC).

Imelda retained status as a tropical depression over land for the next 2 days, gradually weakening and slowing its motion, before degenerating to an remnant low on September 19, as it began passing over Louisiana; Imelda's remnants continued producing heavy rain and a few isolated tornadoes.
Imelda's remnants persisted for another couple of days, before dissipating early on September 21.
On September 14, the National Hurricane Center began monitoring an upper-level low off the west coast of Florida for possible tropical development. During the next several days, the system moved westward across the Gulf of Mexico, though the NHC gave the disturbance only a low chance of development. By September 17, the system had reached the east coast of Texas. Soon afterward, organization in the system rapidly increased, and at 17:00 UTC that day, the system organized into Tropical Depression Eleven, just off the coast of Texas. At 17:45 UTC, an observation deck at Freeport, Texas recorded sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) with gusts of 47 mph (76 km/h), indicating that the depression had strengthened to Tropical Storm Imelda. Shortly thereafter, at 18:30 UTC, Imelda made landfall near Freeport, Texas at peak intensity, with maximum 1-minute sustained winds of 45 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 1,003 millibars (29.6 inHg). Imelda weakened after landfall, becoming a tropical depression at 03:00 UTC on the next day. At that time, the NHC passed on the responsibility for issuing advisories to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC).
Imelda retained status as a tropical depression over land for the next 2 days, gradually weakening and slowing its motion, before degenerating to an remnant low on September 19, as it began passing over Louisiana; Imelda's remnants continued producing heavy rain and a few isolated tornadoes. Imelda's remnants persisted for another couple of days, before dissipating early on September 21.
Tropical Storm Imelda