A research paper published in 1969 refers to the disturbance as a depression as it neared the west coast of Africa;[1] however, this significantly differs from the official Atlantic hurricane database, which does not mention the system at that time,[2] as a surface circulation likely did not exist.

It was not until a United States Navy weather reconnaissance plane flew into the disturbance on September 4, while it was located east of the Lesser Antilles, that signs of development were apparent.

[3] In light of this, the disturbance was classified as a tropical depression at 12:00 UTC that day, with its center situated roughly 175 mi (282 km) east-northeast of Barbados.

Feeding off the warm waters of the Caribbean, the cyclone quickly strengthened and reached Category 1 hurricane intensity by 18:00 UTC on September 8.

Rapid deepening ensued thereafter, with the storm's central pressure falling to 940 mbar (hPa; 27.76 inHg) the following day, as it passed 100 mi (160 km) south of Puerto Rico.

[4] During the evening of September 9, Beulah turned westward as weak ridge developed over the Bahamas, between it and the newly formed Tropical Storm Doria.

[4] The aforementioned westward turn placed the Dominican Republic in the line of danger, an area still reeling from the devastating effects of Hurricane Inez just one year prior.

However, the storm unexpectedly collapsed as it approached the Barahona Peninsula and struck the area as a greatly weakened, though still significant, Category 1 hurricane, with estimated winds of 90 mph (140 km/h) around 18:00 UTC on September 11.

Unseasonably strong wind shear associated with the jet stream, resulting from an upper-level trough to the north, and the cyclone's interaction with land were responsible for the dramatic degradation.

[2] Originally seen as a threat to Jamaica, northeasterly flow induced a southerly component to the track and pushed the cyclone south of the island on September 13.

The shear previously impeding organization abated on September 14, and a ridge re-established itself to Beulah's north, allowing the storm to resume a west-northwest to northwest track.

The upper-level changes led to a favorable environment for intensification, and Beulah regained hurricane strength by 12:00 UTC on September 14, while located about 425 mi (684 km) south-southeast of Havana, Cuba.

[3][2][5] Moving through the climatologically favorable western Caribbean,[3] Beulah quickly regained Category 3 major hurricane status on September 15, with 1-minute sustained winds estimated at 115 mph (185 km/h).

Beulah ultimately made landfall on Cozumel Island, with winds of at least 100 mph (160 km/h) later that day, and struck the mainland Yucatán Peninsula hours later.

[2] However, on September 19, a pronounced phase of rapid intensification, took place as Beulah turned northwest to the Rio Grande Valley region.

[3] A vessel anchored in the Port of Brownsville measured peak wind gusts of 136 mph (219 km/h), equivalent to a low-end Category 4 hurricane.

[8] Due to a lack of suitable observations, it is unknown how much longer after this Beulah continued to exist as a tropical depression over the southern Gulf of Mexico before degenerating into an open trough.

[9] Prior to Beulah, a stationary trough over the Lesser Antilles produced torrential rainfall throughout the region, setting the stage for significant flooding.

The core of Beulah impacted areas devastated by Hurricane Inez a year prior, leaving extensive damage in its wake.

[17] Striking Cozumel Island and the Yucatán Peninsula on September 17 as a Category 2 hurricane, Beulah caused considerable damage and killed 11 people across the region.

[5] The Puerto Morelos lighthouse on the Riviera Maya was undermined by the storm; it was never torn down and the leaning tower remains a tourist attraction in the area.

[22] Across the Yucatán Peninsula, the Government of Mexico set up an air lift of food and medical supplies to isolated areas by September 18.

The highest sustained wind was reported as 136 miles per hour (219 km/h), recorded in the town of South Padre Island, across the Laguna Madre from Port Isabel.

Beulah spawned a record 115 tornadoes[24] which destroyed homes, commercial property, and inflicted serious damage on the region's agricultural industry.

[3] Due to the number of fatalities and extensive damage the system caused from the Lesser Antilles to Texas, the name Beulah was retired following the 1967 season, and will never be used for an Atlantic basin tropical cyclone again.