Amelia affected the Texas coast for two days which caused several shipping incidents and minor damage in Corpus Christi and South Padre Island.

However, the biggest impact from the storm followed its dissipation, when its remnants contributed to record rainfall totals over the state.

Following the storm, President Jimmy Carter declared six counties in the state as federal disaster areas, allowing residents to seek aid from the government.

Overall, Amelia caused 33 fatalities with an estimated $110 million in damages in what then-governor Dolph Briscoe called one of the worst floods in the history of the state.

After entering the Caribbean Sea on July 26, convection began to come together two days later due to the influence of anticyclonic flow.

[1] On July 30, the disturbance turned to the northwest and entered an area of the Gulf with slightly above normal sea surface temperatures and low vertical wind shear, which favored further development.

After a reconnaissance aircraft went into the system, the cyclone was upgraded into the first tropical depression of the season that afternoon while 30 miles (48 km) south of Brownsville, Texas.

[5] Several hours later, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Amelia, a decision that one forecaster said was made to be on the safe side.

[6] Amelia peaked at 50 mph (80 km/h) in wind speed when it was upgraded, with the system beginning to skirt the Texas coast.

[6] Amelia, which never had a well-defined center, went up the coast during the afternoon and evening of July 30, making landfall in Corpus Christi the next day.

[7] While the storm was over water, small craft advisories were issued by the Coast Guard in addition to cautioning people on vacation in South Padre Island to avoid the beaches.

[7] As Amelia approached the Texas coast, gale warnings were issued for the area from Brownsville to Port O'Connor on July 30.

[10] As the state had been in the midst of a severe drought the previous six weeks, there was hope that Amelia would relieve the dry conditions.

[14] The orographic effect of the Edwards Plateau enhanced the flooding, leading to rainfall totals as high as 48 inches (1,200 mm) in a two-day period.

[7] Rescue ships were hampered by anchored Mexican boats and surfers in a channel near the Coast Guard station.

[22] Along with the ships, an oil drilling rig in the Gulf was ripped from its location and ran aground near Matagorda Island by the storm.

[23] South Padre Island reported power outages after receiving over 4 inches (100 mm) of rain and the Queen Isabella Causeway was rendered nearly impassable due to rainfall.

[29][32] Effects from the flooding in Graham ranged from 150 houses and 40–50 businesses being inundated to the loss of water and electrical utilities.

No fatalities were reported, however, due to the water levels rising gradually, leaving time for residents to evacuate.

[40][41] The overflowing river was responsible for ten total deaths in Kendall and Kerr Counties and submerging Comfort under seven feet of water, killing four people there.

[44] Near Stonewall, the Pedernales overflowed its banks, covering the area in up to 28 feet (8.5 m) of water and swamping the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park.

[45] In Bandera, the Medina turned into a 50 feet (15 m) wall of water, which destroyed several of the trees along the river in addition to causing various items to litter the roads.

Six people were killed by the floods while sleeping while 20 guests and staff rode out the storm by clinging to trees and roofs for six hours.

[3] In addition, with genesis occurring at a longitude of 97.0°W Amelia holds the record for the westernmost formation of a tropical cyclone in the North Atlantic hurricane database, which dates back to 1851.