Friday Night Hurricane Harvey Update

At 1000 PM CDT (0300 UTC), the center of Hurricane Harvey was located near latitude 28.0 North, longitude 97.0 West. Harvey hasjust made landfall on the Texas coast over the northern end of SanJose Island about 4 miles (6 km) east of Rockport. Harvey ismoving toward the northwest near 7 mph (11 km/h). The hurricane isexpected to slow its forward motion and move slowly oversoutheastern Texas during the next couple of days.Maximum sustained winds are near 130 mph (215 km/h) with highergusts. Harvey is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-SimpsonHurricane Wind Scale. Weakening is forecast during the next 48hours while the center of Harvey is over southeastern Texas.Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles (65 km) from thecenter and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles(220 km). A Texas Coastal Ocean Observing Network station atAransas Pass recently reported sustained winds of 111 mph (178 km/h)and a wind gust of 131 mph (211 km/h).The minimum central pressure just reported by an Air Force ReserveHurricane Hunter aircraft is 938 mb (27.70 inches).HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND———————-RAINFALL: Harvey is expected to produce total rain accumulations of15 to 30 inches and isolated maximum amounts of 40 inches over themiddle and upper Texas coast through next Wednesday. During the sametime period Harvey is expected to produce total rain accumulationsof 5 to 15 inches in far south Texas and the Texas Hill Country overthrough southwest and central Louisiana. Rainfall of this magnitudewill cause catastrophic and life-threatening flooding.STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and thetide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded byrising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water isexpected to reach the following heights above ground if the peaksurge occurs at the time of high tide…Port Aransas to Port O’Connor…9 to 13 ftPort O’Connor to Sargent…6 to 9 ftN Entrance Padre Island Natl Seashore to Port Aransas…5 to 8 ftSargent to Jamaica Beach…4 to 6 ftPort Mansfield to N Entrance Padre Island Natl Seashore…3 to 5 ftJamaica Beach to High Island…2 to 4 ftMouth of the Rio Grande to Port Mansfield…1 to 3 ftHigh Island to Morgan City…1 to 3 ftThe deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and tothe northeast of the landfall location, where the surge will beaccompanied by large and destructive waves. Surge-related floodingdepends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, andcan vary greatly over short distances. For information specific toyour area, please see products issued by your local National WeatherService forecast office.WIND: Hurricane conditions are occuring along the coast in the PortAransas to Port O’Connor area and should spread over other portionsof the hurricane warning area during the next several hours.Tropical storm conditions are occurring in other portions of thehurricane and tropical storm warning areas. Tropical stormconditions are likely to persist along portions of the coast throughat least Sunday.SURF: Swells generated by Harvey are affecting the Texas,Louisiana, and northeast Mexico coasts. These swells are likely tocause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Pleaseconsult products from your local weather office.TORNADOES: Tornadoes are possible through Saturday near the middleand upper Texas coast into far southwest Louisiana.