Tropical Storm Harold was a moderate tropical storm that made landfall in South Texas in August 2023. The eighth named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, Harold developed from a tropical wave that entered the Gulf of Mexico on August 20, after passing through the Bahamas and Straits of Florida. The system steadily organized over the following days, over record-warm sea-surface temperatures in the Gulf, as it progressed westward. Although the disturbance had not become organized enough to become a tropical cyclone yet, due to the threat it posed to southern Texas, the United States–based National Hurricane Center (NHC) initiated advisories on the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine on August 21. The disturbance organized into a tropical depression six hours later, before strengthening into a tropical storm the following morning and receiving the name Harold. Harold continued to strengthen as it moved quickly westward, and the cyclone made landfall on Padre Island, Texas, around 15:00 UTC on August 22, as a 60 mph (95 km/h) tropical storm. Harold quickly weakened as it moved inland over southern Texas and dissipated on August 23, though its remnant mid-level circulation and associated moisture affected the central United States for several more days.

The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season was the fourth-most active Atlantic hurricane season on record with 20 named storms forming, tied with 1933. Among them, 7 became hurricanes, with 3 reaching major hurricane strength. The season also had an above‑normal accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 148, despite the presence of the 2023–24 El Niño event, which typically results in less activity, and had the most storms for an El Niño year on record, largely due to record-warm sea surface temperatures across the Atlantic. The season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30. These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most tropical cyclogenesis occurs in the Atlantic. However, the formation of subtropical or tropical cyclones is possible at any time of the year, as demonstrated by the formation of a subtropical storm on January 16, the earliest start of an Atlantic hurricane season since Hurricane Alex in January 2016. At the time, the system was assessed as non-tropical by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), resulting in it staying unnamed.