Houston weather is often characterized by hot and humid summers, and warm and comfortable winters with temperatures seldom dropping below the freezing mark. Due to its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the city is often the target of tropical storms and hurricanes which can result in major flooding.
In 2001, Houston was hit hard by Tropical Storm Allison, an event which will forever go down in Houston weather history. The storm dumped more than 2 feet of rain over the southeast portions of Texas, causing massive coastal and inland flooding.