Texas endured widespread watershed flooding—particularly along the Guadalupe River basin. Here's why the damage was swift, severe, and in some areas—catastrophic.

As the disorganized system continues to move towards the southeastern coast of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center has updated Tropical Depression Two to Tropical Storm Barry.

A depression that was formerly Tropical Storm Barry is dumping rain on eastern Mexico as Tropical Storm Flossie brews off its southwestern Pacific coast.

NEW ORLEANS - Barry made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane early Saturday afternoon along Louisiana's central coast, then immediately weakened back into a tropical storm, according to the National Hurricane Center. But it was the rainfall that always posed the greatest threat, regardless of whether the storm was a hurricane or a tropical storm. And a tropical storm warning was discontinued for anyone east of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Storm surge warnings along the coast extended from Intracoastal City, south of Lafayette, to Biloxi, Mississippi, and along Lake Pontchartrain. For the first time since their construction, all major floodgates on the Mississippi River are closed, he added.

"There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge inundation along the coast of southern and southeastern Louisiana," the National Weather Service said. What exactly is storm surge? The rise in water levels, known as storm surge, happens when winds from a fierce storm push water up and onto shore. Forecasters said the stronger the storm, the stronger the winds and the higher the storm surge will be. Rising water is the deadliest part of a stormWhen a big storm approaches, many people worry about wind and debris.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Tropical Storm Barry formed in the Gulf late Thursday morning and is now slowly drifting to the west. update that the center of Tropical Storm Barry was located near latitude 27.8 North, longitude 89.0 West. Storm SurgeThe combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. WindTropical storm conditions are expected in the Tropical Storm Warning area by Friday. Hurricane conditions are possible within the Hurricane Watch area by Friday night, with tropical stormconditions possible in the Tropical Storm Watch area by Friday night or Saturday.

(CNN) - US oil surged above $60 a barrel on Wednesday amid worries that Tropical Storm Barry could derail crude production in the Gulf of Mexico. US oil futures for August delivery settled 4.5% higher at $60.43, according to data from CME. The National Hurricane Center predicts Tropical Storm Barry will form in the Gulf of Mexico by Thursday and strengthen to a hurricane by Saturday, when it's expected to make landfall in Louisiana. Personnel on 15 production platforms and four rigs in the Gulf of Mexico have been evacuated, according to the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. The ING strategists also pointed out that while the Gulf of Mexico used to be the powerhouse of US oil production, its market share has fallen thanks to the strong growth in shale.