Tropical Storm Erin (2007)

Tropical Storm Erin was the fifth named storm of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season. Erin formed over the Gulf of Mexico in mid-August and made landfall on the central Texas coast on August 16, 2007. While Erin itself was not a particularly strong tropical storm at landfall, its remnants caused significant flooding across portions of Oklahoma, primarily due to already saturated ground conditions.

Erin originated from a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa in early August. The wave gradually organized as it moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean and into the Gulf of Mexico. On August 15th, the National Hurricane Center declared the system Tropical Depression Five. Shortly thereafter, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Erin.

Erin made landfall near Lamar, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). The storm weakened rapidly after landfall and became a tropical depression. However, the remnants of Erin continued to move inland, bringing heavy rainfall to Oklahoma and other parts of the southern Plains.

The most significant impact from Erin was the widespread flooding in Oklahoma. Some areas received over 10 inches (250 mm) of rain, causing rivers and creeks to overflow their banks. The flooding led to numerous road closures, evacuations, and damage to homes and businesses. Several deaths were attributed to the flooding in Oklahoma.

Despite the severe flooding in Oklahoma, the overall damage from Tropical Storm Erin was relatively limited compared to other tropical cyclones. The storm's weak intensity at landfall and its rapid weakening contributed to the relatively low overall impact.