In all, losses from the unnamed storm reached $7.4 million (1987 USD) and one person was reported missing after being thrown overboard a boat in rough seas.

Traveling across the Caribbean, the system became increasingly organized and a mid-level circulation formed shortly before the wave moved inland over Central America on August 7.

The following day, the northern portion of the wave interacted with a cold-core low over the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in the formation of a low-level circulation, exhibiting tropical characteristics, on August 9.

Around 1200 UTC, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) estimated that the system developed into a tropical depression while located about 145 miles (235 km) south-southeast of Galveston, Texas.

[1] Hours after being classified a tropical depression, the convective structure of the system deteriorated, a sign of a weakening storm; however, nearby oil rigs indicated a gradual increase in winds.

[2] Remaining relatively weak, the unnamed system attained peak winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) before making landfall along the Texas coastline between Galveston and Beaumont at 0600 UTC on August 10.

[2] Due to the system's proximity to land upon being declared a tropical depression and subsequent intensity uncertainties, the unnamed storm posed several challenges to forecasters that "vividly illustrated limitations that are of major concern at the National Hurricane Center.

"[4] With operational forecasters noting the possibility of intensification, the first-ever tropical storm warning was issued along the northern Gulf Coast between Matagorda, Texas and Morgan City, Louisiana on August 9.

[5] By August 13, several flash flood watches were in place over portions of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida as remnants of the unnamed system slowly moved through the region.