<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Part of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season </Td> </Tr> <P> Tropical Storm Allison was a tropical storm that devastated southeast Texas in June of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season . An arguable example of the "brown ocean effect", Allison lasted unusually long for a June storm, remaining tropical or subtropical for 15 days, most of them over land dumping torrential rains . The storm developed from a tropical wave in the northern Gulf of Mexico on June 4, 2001, and struck the upper Texas coast shortly thereafter . It drifted northward through the state, turned back to the south, and re-entered the Gulf of Mexico . The storm continued to the east - northeast, made landfall on Louisiana, then moved across the southeast United States and Mid-Atlantic . Allison was the first storm since Tropical Storm Frances in 1998 to strike the northern Texas coastline . </P> <P> The storm dropped heavy rainfall along its path, peaking at over 40 inches (1,000 mm) in Texas . The worst flooding occurred in Houston, where most of Allison's damage occurred: 30,000 became homeless after the storm flooded over 70,000 houses and destroyed 2,744 homes . Downtown Houston was inundated with flooding, causing severe damage to hospitals and businesses . Twenty - three people died in Texas . Along its entire path, Allison caused $9 billion (2001 USD) in damage and 41 deaths . Aside from Texas, the places worst hit were Louisiana and southeastern Pennsylvania . </P> <P> Following the storm, President George W. Bush designated 75 counties along Allison's path as disaster areas, which enabled the citizens affected to apply for aid . Allison was the first Atlantic tropical storm to have its name retired without ever having reached hurricane strength . </P>

How many inches of rain fell in houston during tropical storm allison