The hurricane steadily intensified as it recurved northwards in the Gulf of Mexico, before reaching peak intensity just prior to landfall near Houma, Louisiana on August 25 with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h).

[1] Moving steadily to the west-northwest towards the western Caribbean, the disturbance slowly intensified, attaining tropical storm strength by 1200 UTC the next day.

[2] Once in the Gulf of Mexico on August 22, the tropical storm continued to intensify, reaching hurricane strength early the next day north of the Yucatán Peninsula.

[1] Beginning on August 24, the system began to curve northwards towards the Louisiana coast in response to a nearby cold front.

[2] A ship reported an eye associated with the system, observing 100 mph (160 km/h) winds with a pressure of 959 mbar (959 hPa; 28.3 inHg) at 2100 UTC that day.

[1] The major hurricane[nb 2] intensified up until making landfall near Houma, Louisiana at 2300 UTC late on August 25, with winds estimated at 115 mph (185 km/h) and an estimated minimum barometric pressure of 955 mbar (955 hPa; 28.2 inHg), based on a pressure report of 959 mbar (959 hPa; 28.3 inHg) in Houma.

The next day, the storm weakened further to tropical depression strength as it moved towards the west, before degenerating into an open trough of low pressure near Hillsboro, Texas by 1800 UTC on August 27.

[2][1] In preparation for the oncoming hurricane, the weather forecast office in New Orleans began to issue tropical cyclone warnings and watches and advisories for the storm on August 23.

The first storm warnings were issued for areas of the United States Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Matagorda, Texas at 10:30 p.m CDT (0430 UTC) that day, indicating an approaching system with considerable intensity.

As the hurricane unexpectedly recurved to the north the next day, the previously issued storm warning was shifted eastward to include areas from Morgan City, Louisiana to Galveston, Texas, while a hurricane warning was issued by the weather forecast office for areas between Morgan City and Mobile, Alabama at 10:00 p.m. CDT (0400 UTC).

After the hurricane rapidly weakened over land, warnings and advisories from the New Orleans weather office related to the storm were discontinued by 9:00 p.m. (0500 UTC) on August 25.

[10] Three passenger trains along the Southern Pacific Railroad were detained in Avondale, Louisiana after winds were determined to be too unsafe for rail operations.

[7] The hurricane also dropped heavy rains along the coast, which were increased by atmospheric instability in the region just prior to the storm's landfall.