Wednesday marks 23 years since the formation of Tropical Storm Allison, a storm which would go on to heavily impact the Houston area.

Twenty years ago, Tropical Storm Allison made landfall and left Houston under water. It remains the costliest tropical storm to ever hit the United States.

While at least seven local hospital campuses are now closed, at least three emergency rooms remain open. They do not anticipate the closed hospital campuses, which include outpatient, wellness centers and orthopedic hospitals, to reopen until at least Friday. Flood gates securedOfficials at the Texas Medical Center in Houston closed the flood gates Wednesday afternoon. Per emergency recommendations, the metal doors close eight hours before any storm makes nearby landfall. Research and our teaching activities within this building were completely halted for many weeks,” said Scott Patlovich, UT Health Assistant VP Environmental Health and Safety.

HOUSTON – Nineteen years ago, Tropical Storm Allison made landfall and left Houston underwater. Tropical Storm Allison started as a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico in June 2001. Allison is the first tropical storm to ever have its name retired, alongside hurricanes like Katrina, Rita and Ike. As the storm moved inland and quickly lost wind strength and tropical storm status, heavy rainfall records were set within the five days the storm lingered in Southeast Texas. The storm moved north across Houston on June 6, and the next day, Allison stalled near Lufkin as a depression.