‘Life-threatening’ Tropical Storm Harvey churns toward Texas

After reaching the Texas Gulf Coast, Harvey is expected to stall just inland of the coast and then slowly drift northeast along the coastline during the weekend and into early next week.

Almost all of the state’s 367-mile (591 kilometer) coast was under a hurricane or tropical storm warning or watch as of Thursday.

It is important to stay tuned to the forecast due the high uncertainty in the long range on impacts to our area, and expect changes to our forecast due to the many variables associated with the eventual track of Harvey by next week. In fact, rain estimates are even higher. Some forecasts indicated rain totals over several days extending into next week could exceed 24 inches (60 centimeters).

“The master bedroom floods every time the rain gets very strong”.

The depression was moving toward the northwest near 9 mph (15 kph) and a track toward the northwest or north-northwest is expected for the next 48 hours.

Increasing concern that Harvey will become a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) before making landfall Friday night.

Historically, the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths in the United States is storm surge, the rapid rise of water pushed ashore by the storm’s winds.

Texas residents prepare for Hurricane Harvey as it approaches from the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches have been posted for parts of the Texas coast from Brownsville to Houston.

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for…

Texas governor Greg Abbott preemptively declared a state of disaster in 30 counties along the Gulf Coast.

Texans generally wish to help each other in situations such as this, and Isom says that the best way to do that is consider donating to the American Red Cross or donating supplies to local relief organizations. Teams are working phones and email to ensure they’re ready case help is needed for emergency shelters for those who evacuate the storm’s path. The disastrous floods that followed killed more than 20 people and cost almost $5 billion in damage.

Major hurricane is one designated at Category 3 (winds of at least 111 miles per hour or higher).