Hurricane Bret, the first of the 1999 season, crashed into the Gulf Coast of Texas late in the evening of August 22nd. At its strongest a category 4 hurricane (with winds over 135 mph), it quickly weakened once it moved over land. The large amounts of rain the storm delivered?as much as 25 inches?caused flooding in South Texas.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasters believe this might be the first serious hurricane of many, due to the lingering effects of La Ni�a.

Data courtesy NOAA