Tropical Depression One formed off the coast of Mexico at 1540 UTC on April 28, 2011, and reached tropical storm strength later that day, when it was named Tropical Storm Arlene.

The GOES-13 satellite followed the storm as it moved through the Bay of Campeche and into the Gulf of Mexico. Arlene then made landfall in Veracruz, Mexico, on April 30, and dissipated near Brownsville, Texas, on May 2.

The movie shows the development and movement of Arlene from April 28 to May 2. The storm appears as a bright white area over the ocean. As Arlene moves through the Gulf of Mexico, it intensifies and becomes more organized. When the storm makes landfall in Mexico, it begins to weaken and dissipate.