Hurricane Harvey: 2017 Central Texas Coast

Jeff House said:
I like the Galveston encore much better than Corpus to Pt O'Connor/Lavaca. Left jog would shake me out of CRP and hell no up toward O'Connor. Nowhere really to stay left side of landfall/eyewall. GLS offers spin-up tornado chances tomorrow without the night surge. Be safe!
Click to expand...

Agree. For anyone who has not chased the Glaveston area, Houston will likely be flooded as in past hurricanes, with much less rainfall. I-10 will be underwater, so your exits will be very limited for possibly days.
 
I'm not even sure I can fathom 60 inches of rain in such a short period. We got 20 here in CO that created the "1000 year flood" a couple years back. If we had 60" this whole place would have washed away down to Arizona.
 
GFS and ECMWF agreeing on a stalled storm for a week is very threatening. In the meantime, that was one of the faster eyewall replacement cycles I have seen... pressure continuing to fall as the eye begins its approach.
 
Unfortunately we're already starting to lose observed winds from automated stations. Rockport and Port Arkansas are no longer reporting winds. Gusts to 75 mph from the northwest at Corpus Christie Naval Air Station. Peak winds estimated from radar data on the northern eyewall are ~120 KT at 3500 ft ARL.

kcrp_20170825_2225_BV_0.5.png
 
Really impressed with the job Weather Nation has done today. FYI, there is a new cable channel on some providers called the "Severe Weather Channel." They show (altering) local TV station stations in the affected areas with live reports. A+
 
So far, it looks like Harvey is / was a "nothing burger" as far as category 4 storms go. No loss of life so far? This is great news. I've not seen any massive surge destruction or entire communities destroyed as you would expect with a category 4. Edit: (Some unconfirmed rumors of heavy damage and fatalities in areas not reached yet by authorities).

Maybe the estimated flooding will occur. I'm assuming the destructive wind fields were in a very narrow line and avoided large communities like Charlie did. It's likely Harvey did not have enough time at max-strength to pile-up the estimated surge levels.
 
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The folks in Houston appear to be in a dire situation with the flooding rainfall they saw overnight and the long fetch of moisture being brought in by Harvey. With the storm only moving 1 mph things don't appear as though they'll improve anytime soon either.
 
Highly recommend this AP live feed from on the ground amidst rescue operations in Houston:

For those who want to get caught up on damage:

 
At this point, it is even hard to fathom what another 10-25 inches + could do to the Harris County area and just SE Texas in general after what has happened so far. This is just going to be absolutely horrific by time it is all said and done. Got to remember too that there is a ton of rain falling up stream of the Houston area too so this will all be ongoing for weeks and weeks....... While the press and focus is on Houston, got to remember all the other towns and cities that are getting hammered just as bad if not worse too. The images and video out of the region in the coming days will just be more tragic and horrific I imagine.
 
Have not heard much from the barrier islands. If I read the maps correctly, storm chasers were on the mainland. Somehow the eye held together from some beautiful lightning eyewall with stars shots. Too bad it is also so terrifying. Can we just have total solar eclipses?

Reliable NWS Met I know says Harvey is worse than Katrina. Houston is much bigger than Nola so it's not hyperbole. No Sandy comparisons yet. NYC is even bigger. Almost afraid to ask my friend from NJ who lives in Houston.

12Z Mon Euro has less additional QPF than official forecasts. I pray it is right.

Agree that we will be shocked and horrified when the cameras reach the barrier islands, when the Interstates drain and reveal submerged cars, and when they find people who drown in their attics. Harvey is a national tragedy.
 
FWIW - not that it matters in the scheme of things - I think Harvey was kept a tropical storm longer than was justified. Yes, it restrengthened to TS force after it moved back over the Gulf, that is not in dispute. But 24 - 36 hours after initial landfall when it was meandering a few miles from San Antonio, no observation stations anywhere were reporting tropical storm force winds; in fact the NWS's own advisories at the time acknowledged as much but stated they were keeping Harvey a TS based on the unverified assumption there were 40mph winds aloft "somewhere" in the circulation.
 
Thought I saw your live cam in there - appreciated that. It's too bad you didn't go insanely viral like that one guy; but then that sort of attention is as much a curse as it is a blessing.
 
"The National Weather Service confirmed Wednesday that a record 64.58 inches of rain fell during Hurricane Harvey in Nederland near Beaumont during the storm’s five-day onslaught.

The city’s record rainfall is the heaviest rainfall ever logged in the U.S. during a tropical storm, breaking Hawaii's 1950 record of 52 inches. The record was captured near Jack Brooks Regional Airport."

http://www.chron.com/about/article/Weather-service-confirms-64-inches-of-rain-fell-12233072.php
 
Good day all,

Sorry for the late reply. This is my chase log for hurricane Harvey in Texas. Details are below...

Summary: This area shows pictures taken from the interception and observation of powerful category-four hurricane Harvey in southeastern Texas from its devastating landfall point in Aransas County near Fulton and Rockport, and the subsequent catastrophic flooding event as the storm moved inland and weakened to a tropical storm west of Houston. This storm, was the first major hurricane (with sustained 130-MPH at the first landfall) to strike the United States in 12 years. This devastating storm began originally began as a tropical disturbance that moved off Africa and moved across the tropical Atlantic. The disturbance became a tropical storm in the eastern Caribbean, but weakened to a remnant low as it reached the Yucatan area of Mexico. The low pressure area crossed into the Bay of Campeche, and SW Gulf of Mexico around the 22nd of August. The dry air and wind shear, plaguing tropical development in the Atlantic for so long, relaxed and the storm began re-organizing in an area highly favorable for intensification, with an area of high oceanic heat content associated with a warm gyre in the Gulf of Mexico loop current. On August 24th and 25th, the storm went from a tropical depression to a storm, then a hurricane in a mere 24 hours, with rapid - or even explosive - intensification. This storm steadily and rapidly intensified into a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, packing 130 MPH winds and a central pressure as low as 938 MB at the time of landfall near Rockport, Texas late on the 25th. This produced catastrophic wind damage in some areas, mainly near and right of the first landfall point near Rockport and Fulton, and extending to near Tivoli. Severe flooding (from both violent rain and storm surge) also occurred in these areas. After landfall, the storm weakened inland to a tropical storm over the next few days, from Aug 26th to the 29th, but stalled and moved slowly west of Houston. This placed Houston on the right side of the storm, with training rains and severe (even tornadic) thunderstorms. At least 50 inches of rain fell in these areas near Houston, causing the worst flooding "in a 1,000 years"! The storm re-emerged into the Gulf of Mexico on the 28th, and did not start moving NE until the 29th, leaving "legendary" flooding and a swath of wind damage in its path. Eventually, the storm moved ashore again, with 50 MPH winds, and weakened inland thereafter on August 30. The second part of the chase was in the Houston area, with cancelled flights out of Houston, observing the flooding. I "evacuated" the area on Aug 28th to Dallas, flying back to Florida from there on the morning of the 29th. The chase began by flying into Houston on the 24th and driving to the target areas for the first landfall. The total mileage was 1,015 miles.

hareyest.jpg

This is a picture taken from inside the eye of hurricane "Harvey" as it was making landfall in the Rockport / Fulton area during the night of August 25, 2017. The view is looking up from the parking lot of the Marriott hotel. A clear area opens up overhead, with stars visible overhead, in complete calm conditions. The eyewall presented a "stadium effect" around us, illuminated by lightning, with birds trapped in the eye circling overhead. Pressure measured by one chaser (Josh Morgerman) was 940.8 MB around this time. Winds sustained at 130 MPH, gusting over 145, are circling around us (with an audible "roar") while in this "oasis" of deceptively calm weather. This will be the only "clear sky" we will see in almost a week!

harrad1.jpg

These are two images showing hurricane Harvey making landfall near Rockport, Texas late on August 25, 2017 with sustained winds of 130 MPH (category 4). To the left is a visible satellite image of the storm as it is about to make landfall in Aransas County between Tivoli and Corpus Christi with an incredible presentation of the eye and eyewall of the storm. To the right is an image of the base-reflectivity radar (out of Corpus Christi) image of the storm eye and eyewall over Rockport and Fulton with my location (cross hairs) inside the eye as well as other storm chasers (red dots)!

Full video of Hurricane Harvey is below...


Pictures are below...

har03.jpg

Above: Wave and wind action between Estes and Port Aransas, Texas as the gale forced wind envelope arrives during the afternoon of August 25, 2017.

har11.jpg

Above: Eyewall of Harvey hits Rockport / Fulton after dark just before power failure during the evening of the 25th. Winds here gusting over 120 MPH.

har14.jpg

Above: View of damage to the building from the 4th floor just before entry into the eye of Harvey during the late evening of August 25th in 140+ MPH wind gusts. Basically, the hallway ends and "drops off" 4 stories into "nothing". The building was shaking at this point, making for a very uneasy feeling.

har22.jpg

Above: Severe flooding and damage near Fulton, Texas on August 26th.

har52.jpg

Above: This is a terrifying view of I-45 northbound near Spring, Texas late on August 28th with raging flood waters rising and going from left (the southbound lanes) to right (my northbound lanes) and spilling over the centre median barrier. The water level to the left of the barrier is high and over-topping the 4 foot barrier. This is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS attempt to go north and get out of the Houston area. On my side, the water is about 6 inches deep, but swiftly rushing across the lanes. An overflowing dam caused this part of the violent flood in the area.
 
cdcollura said:
Good day all,

Sorry for the late reply. This is my chase log for hurricane Harvey in Texas. Details are below...

Summary: This area shows pictures taken from the interception and observation of powerful category-four hurricane Harvey in southeastern Texas from its devastating landfall point in Aransas County near Fulton and Rockport, and the subsequent catastrophic flooding event as the storm moved inland and weakened to a tropical storm west of Houston. This storm, was the first major hurricane (with sustained 130-MPH at the first landfall) to strike the United States in 12 years. This devastating storm began originally began as a tropical disturbance that moved off Africa and moved across the tropical Atlantic. The disturbance became a tropical storm in the eastern Caribbean, but weakened to a remnant low as it reached the Yucatan area of Mexico. The low pressure area crossed into the Bay of Campeche, and SW Gulf of Mexico around the 22nd of August. The dry air and wind shear, plaguing tropical development in the Atlantic for so long, relaxed and the storm began re-organizing in an area highly favorable for intensification, with an area of high oceanic heat content associated with a warm gyre in the Gulf of Mexico loop current. On August 24th and 25th, the storm went from a tropical depression to a storm, then a hurricane in a mere 24 hours, with rapid - or even explosive - intensification. This storm steadily and rapidly intensified into a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, packing 130 MPH winds and a central pressure as low as 938 MB at the time of landfall near Rockport, Texas late on the 25th. This produced catastrophic wind damage in some areas, mainly near and right of the first landfall point near Rockport and Fulton, and extending to near Tivoli. Severe flooding (from both violent rain and storm surge) also occurred in these areas. After landfall, the storm weakened inland to a tropical storm over the next few days, from Aug 26th to the 29th, but stalled and moved slowly west of Houston. This placed Houston on the right side of the storm, with training rains and severe (even tornadic) thunderstorms. At least 50 inches of rain fell in these areas near Houston, causing the worst flooding "in a 1,000 years"! The storm re-emerged into the Gulf of Mexico on the 28th, and did not start moving NE until the 29th, leaving "legendary" flooding and a swath of wind damage in its path. Eventually, the storm moved ashore again, with 50 MPH winds, and weakened inland thereafter on August 30. The second part of the chase was in the Houston area, with cancelled flights out of Houston, observing the flooding. I "evacuated" the area on Aug 28th to Dallas, flying back to Florida from there on the morning of the 29th. The chase began by flying into Houston on the 24th and driving to the target areas for the first landfall. The total mileage was 1,015 miles.

View attachment 16488

This is a picture taken from inside the eye of hurricane "Harvey" as it was making landfall in the Rockport / Fulton area during the night of August 25, 2017. The view is looking up from the parking lot of the Marriott hotel. A clear area opens up overhead, with stars visible overhead, in complete calm conditions. The eyewall presented a "stadium effect" around us, illuminated by lightning, with birds trapped in the eye circling overhead. Pressure measured by one chaser (Josh Morgerman) was 940.8 MB around this time. Winds sustained at 130 MPH, gusting over 145, are circling around us (with an audible "roar") while in this "oasis" of deceptively calm weather. This will be the only "clear sky" we will see in almost a week!

View attachment 16489

These are two images showing hurricane Harvey making landfall near Rockport, Texas late on August 25, 2017 with sustained winds of 130 MPH (category 4). To the left is a visible satellite image of the storm as it is about to make landfall in Aransas County between Tivoli and Corpus Christi with an incredible presentation of the eye and eyewall of the storm. To the right is an image of the base-reflectivity radar (out of Corpus Christi) image of the storm eye and eyewall over Rockport and Fulton with my location (cross hairs) inside the eye as well as other storm chasers (red dots)!

Full video of Hurricane Harvey is below...


Pictures are below...

View attachment 16483

Above: Wave and wind action between Estes and Port Aransas, Texas as the gale forced wind envelope arrives during the afternoon of August 25, 2017.

View attachment 16484

Above: Eyewall of Harvey hits Rockport / Fulton after dark just before power failure during the evening of the 25th. Winds here gusting over 120 MPH.

View attachment 16485

Above: View of damage to the building from the 4th floor just before entry into the eye of Harvey during the late evening of August 25th in 140+ MPH wind gusts. Basically, the hallway ends and "drops off" 4 stories into "nothing". The building was shaking at this point, making for a very uneasy feeling.

View attachment 16486

Above: Severe flooding and damage near Fulton, Texas on August 26th.

View attachment 16487

Above: This is a terrifying view of I-45 northbound near Spring, Texas late on August 28th with raging flood waters rising and going from left (the southbound lanes) to right (my northbound lanes) and spilling over the centre median barrier. The water level to the left of the barrier is high and over-topping the 4 foot barrier. This is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS attempt to go north and get out of the Houston area. On my side, the water is about 6 inches deep, but swiftly rushing across the lanes. An overflowing dam caused this part of the violent flood in the area.
Click to expand...
 
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