The landfalling Arlene interacted with a passing cold front which helped to produce showers further northeast, though damage in those locales was comparatively less severe.

Over the following week, the system grew in expanse as it slowly tracked northwestward as strong wind shear in the area prohibited the development of a tropical cyclone.

On June 16, the formation of an upper-level low over the Bay of Campeche and the progression of a tropical wave across the Caribbean Sea helped foster the development of a low-pressure area over the Yucatán Peninsula.

[1] While the initial system in the Bay of Campeche continued to struggle in its organization, a new cluster of thunderstorms concentrated in a band developed to the depression's northwest late on June 18.

[3] As Arlene would not strengthen after classification, peak intensity was attained concurrent with its upgrade to tropical storm strength with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 1000 mbar (hPa; 29.71 inHg).

[6] As many as 4,000 homes were flooded, impacting roughly 10,000 people and prompting Mexican armed forces to implement emergency rescue plans in the state.

The strongest surface wind gust reported in association with Arlene was clocked at 63 mph (101 km/h) on an oil platform south of Sabine Pass, Texas.

However, the NHC and various National Weather Service forecast offices opted to delay the watch as a result of the poorly organized appearance of the cyclone at the time.

[6] Given the weak nature of Arlene and the relatively unpopulated extent of coast which it impacted, evacuations were minimal – only fifteen fled from summer homes along Magnolia Beach and Indianola, Texas due to the threat of flooding.

[5] On the Texas coast, Arlene produced a small storm surge peaking at 4 ft (1.2 m) in some areas, breaching sections of Padre Island and causing flooding.

Combined with the heavy rainfall associated with Arlene, the storm surge produced significant tidal flooding in some coastal stretches.

[13] Precipitation from the tropical storm reached areas 170 mi (275 km) inland,[5] and was enhanced in northeastern Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas as a result of interaction between the cyclone and a passing frontal boundary.

[15] The torrential precipitation caused rivers to swell and overflow their banks, forcing farm-to-market roads to close and inundating plots of crops.