It tracked westward across the tropical Atlantic Ocean with minimal convection, and subsequent to moving through the southern Windward Islands it crossed northern Central America.

Under the influence of southeasterly flow from developing Hurricane Celia in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the south-southwesterly flow from a mid-to upper-level trough over the Gulf of Mexico, the area of disturbed weather tracked generally north-northwestward through the Caribbean Sea while spreading across Cuba and southern Florida.

On June 24, a mid-level circulation developed near the Yucatán Channel, and shortly thereafter satellite image loops indicated deep convection with some cyclonic rotation near the western tip of Cuba.

After the flight, satellite imagery indicated a low-level circulation was forming, and on June 25 ship and buoy data confirmed the system developed into Tropical Depression One while located about 235 miles (378 km) west-southwest of Key West, Florida.

[1] The National Hurricane Center (NHC) incorrectly classified the system as Tropical Depression Two due to an earlier subtropical storm.

[2] Upon becoming a tropical cyclone, the depression was poorly organized, with much of the convection located well to the southeast of the broad center due to strong upper-level wind shear.

[2] The depression moved northward before turning to the northeast,[1] and on June 26, the poorly organized system made landfall just north of Tampa.

[3] The low-level circulation dissipated while crossing the Florida peninsula, with the remnants continuing northeastward before being absorbed by a large extratropical cyclone over the western Atlantic.

[1] The tropical depression, in combination with the upper-level trough to its west, produced torrential precipitation throughout Cuba,[1] peaking at 33.43 inches (849 mm).

[15] On August 14, about six weeks after the flooding, President George H. W. Bush declared a major disaster area for Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.