Effects of Hurricane Harvey in Texas
Hurricane Harvey caused major flooding in southern Texas for four days in August 2017. Hurricane Harvey formed on August 17, 2017 in the open Atlantic. Six days later, after degenerating back into a tropical wave and moving through the Caribbean Sea, Harvey reformed and rapidly intensified in the Gulf of Mexico. Early on August 26, Harvey made landfall in San José Island, Texas at peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 130 mph and a pressure of 937 mb. A couple of hours Harvey made another landfall in Holiday Beach as a slightly weaker high-end Category 3 storm. After that, Harvey rapidly weakened and stalled for multiple days over Texas, dropping torrential rainfall. Harvey eventually moved back into the Gulf on August 28, and a day later, Harvey made a fifth and final landfall west of Cameron, Louisiana.
Hurricane Harvey at peak intensity, shortly before making landfall in Rockport, Texas | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Duration | August 25–31, 2017 |
| Category 4 major hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 130 mph (215 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 937 mbar (hPa); 27.67 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 68 direct, 35 indirect |
| Damage | $51.2 billion (2017 USD) to $125 billion (2017 USD) |
| Areas affected | Texas |
Part of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season | |
| History • Meteorological history Effects • Commons: Harvey images | |
The large and powerful hurricane dropped heavy rainfall over parts of southern and southeastern Texas. Over four days, Harvey dropped large amounts of rainfall, peaking at 60.58 inches (1,539 mm) in Nederland, Texas, making it the wettest tropical cyclone on record in the United States. The highest gust from Harvey was recorded at 140 mph (230 km/h) in Rockport, Texas, where every single building was damaged by the storm. Overall, Harvey contributed to 68 direct deaths and 35 indirect deaths–a total of 103–and caused at least $51.177 billion in damage in Texas alone.