Hurricane Harvey Makes Landfall, Region to Expect Catastrophic Flooding

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 2017 AS OF 10:00 AM CDT

Hurricane Harvey made landfall at approximately 10:00 pm CDT on Friday, August 25th along the Texas central coastline. At its time of initial landfall, Harvey was designated as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum winds up to 130 mph on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and as of Saturday, August 26th, Harvey has been weakened and is now designated a Category 1 hurricane as it moves inland. At the request of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, President Donald Trump has declared a Major Disaster in Texas.

As Harvey continues to move slowly across the middle Texas coastline, wind, storm surges, and flooding pose life-threatening risks to many communities throughout Texas and Southwestern Louisiana.

PUBLIC ADVISORIES

Here’s the breakdown of public advisories from NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) 10:00 AM CDT, August 26, 2017 Update :

• The Storm Surge Warning for the Texas coast south of Port Aransas has been discontinued;
• The Hurricane Warning for the Texas coast has been replaced with a Tropical Storm Warning;
• A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for Port Aransas to High Island, Texas;
• A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Baffin Bay to High Island Texas.

EVACUATIONS AND EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS

• Emergencies declared by governors in Texas and Louisiana.
• FEMA has declared Texas Hurricane Harvey (DR-4332)
• Texas: See evacuation zone here
• Louisiana: See evacuation zone here

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

The NHC also provides a list of hazards present in the path of the storm. Please heed all evacuation orders and instructions from local emergency management and law enforcement:

• RAINFALL: Harvey is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 15 to 30 inches and isolated maximum amounts of 40 inches over the middle and upper Texas coast through Thursday. During the same time period Harvey is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 5 to 15 inches in far south Texas, the Texas Hill Country and southwest and central Louisiana. Rainfall of this magnitude will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flooding.
• STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water is expected to reach the following heights above ground if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide:
  • Port Aransas to Sargent – 4 to 7 feet
  • Sargent to High Island including Galveston Bay – 2 to 4 feet
  • High Island to Morgan City – 1 to 3 feet
• WIND: Hurricane conditions are occurring inland near the core of Harvey. Tropical storm conditions are occurring in portions of the tropical storm warning area, and are likely to persist along portions of the coast through at least Sunday.
• SURF: Swells generated by Harvey are affecting the Texas, Louisiana, and northeast Mexico coasts. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
• TORNADOES: Tornadoes are possible today and tonight near the middle and upper Texas coast into far southwest Louisiana.

RELATED STORIES

• New York Times regularly updated tracking of Hurricane Harvey: link
• NOAA’s National Hurricane Center for regular updates on Hurricane Harvey: link
• Remember, Ready.gov provides information on how to prepare for a storm and how to keep you and your family safe: link

Hagerty Consulting is an emergency management consulting firm that helps our clients prepare for and recover from disasters. Established in 2001, Hagerty Consulting’s work includes some of the nation’s largest recovery and preparedness projects in more than 30 states, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Sandy.

You can learn more about our disaster recovery practice here.