Hurricane Harvey moved onto the Texas shore as a major Category 4 storm.
The storm made official landfall between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor, northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas. Top winds are up to 130 mph, which makes it a major category 4 storm.
- Harvey reached major hurricane status Friday afternoon
- Storm made landfall just NE of Corpus Christi
- Texas hasn't seen hurricane landfall in 9 years
- RELATED:
- Our sister stations in Austin and San Antonio are providing continuous coverage of Harvey throughout the event. For more details on the impacts in those areas, visit the Spectrum News Austin and Spectrum News San Antonio websites.
WATCH: The power of #HurricaneHarvey as it makes landfall in Texas. The threat is just beginning: https://t.co/0ioq0vsQ00 pic.twitter.com/uzQCaIQsUo
— News 13 (@MyNews13) August 26, 2017
Texas has not seen a hurricane make landfall since Ike in September 2008, and the U.S. hasn’t seen a major hurricane make landfall since Wilma in October 2005.
Evacuations were ordered along the Texas coast, but impacts are set to extend far inland due to the potential for significant rainfall.
President Trump announced he signed the disaster proclamation for Texas Friday night.
At the request of the Governor of Texas, I have signed the Disaster Proclamation, which unleashes the full force of government help!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2017
Harvey may produce anywhere from 12 to 20 inches of rain, potentially up to 35 inches from south Texas to the Louisiana coastline, which may lead to widespread flash flooding.
Harvey is likely to meander near or just inland of the middle Texas coast through the weekend.
Storm surge will also be dangerously high. Here are some of the storm surge forecasts:
A storm surge warning is in effect for Port Mansfield to High Island, Texas.
- Port Aransas to Port O'Connor...9 to 13 ft.
- Port O'Connor to Sargent... 6 to 9 ft.
- N Entrance Padre Island Natl Seashore to Port Aransas...5 to 8 ft
- Sargent to Jamaica Beach...4 to 6 ft
- Port Mansfield to N Entrance Padre Island Natl Seashore...3 to 5 ft
- Jamaica Beach to High Island...2 to 4 ft
- Mouth of the Rio Grande to Port Mansfield...1 to 3 ft
- High Island to Morgan City...1 to 3 ft
Hurricane warnings and tropical storm warnings have been issued for the following:
- A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Port Mansfield to Sargent Texas
- A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for North of Sargent to High Island Texas, South of Port Mansfield Texas to the Mouth of the Rio Grande
- A Hurricane Watch is in effect for South of Port Mansfield Texas to the Mouth of the Rio Grande
- A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for South of the Mouth of the Rio Grande to Boca de Catan Mexico
Elsewhere in the tropics, we are monitoring a weak area of low pressure off the west coast of Florida, which has a medium likelihood of strengthening into a tropical system after it drifts east of the state. Regardless of its tropical classification, it will be responsible for higher rain chances locally through the weekend. The next system in the Atlantic to receive a name will be called Irma.