Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey
Name	Hurricane Harvey
Type	Hurricane
Year	2017
Basin	Atl
Formed	August 17, 2017
Dissipated	September 2, 2017
1-min winds	130
Pressure	937
Fatalities	107 total
Damages	125000
Areas	Windward Islands, Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Lesser Antilles, Texas, Louisiana, Southern United States, Midwestern United States
Hurricane season	2017 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Harvey was a devastating Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in Texas in August 2017, becoming the first major hurricane to strike the United States since Hurricane Wilma in 2005. It is most notable for causing catastrophic flooding in the Greater Houston metropolitan area after stalling near the Texas Gulf Coast, dropping unprecedented rainfall totals. The storm caused at least 107 fatalities and an estimated $125 billion in damage, tying it with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record in the U.S.

Meteorological history

The system originated from a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on August 12, 2017, crossing the Windward Islands and entering the Caribbean Sea. The National Hurricane Center began monitoring the disturbance as it moved westward, and it developed into a tropical depression east of the Lesser Antilles on August 17. After degenerating into a tropical wave over the central Caribbean, it regenerated in the Bay of Campeche on August 23, where warm sea surface temperatures and low wind shear allowed for rapid intensification. The storm underwent explosive deepening, becoming a major hurricane before making its first landfall near Rockport, Texas, at peak intensity on August 25. A blocking high-pressure area over the Southeastern United States then caused the system to stall and meander over southeastern Texas for several days, leading to prolonged, torrential rainfall.

Preparations and impact

In anticipation of the storm, the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, declared a state of disaster for 30 counties, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-positioned resources. Mandatory evacuations were ordered for parts of the Texas Coastal Bend, including Corpus Christi and Aransas County. The initial impact featured destructive winds and a significant storm surge along the central Texas coast, devastating communities like Fulton and Port Aransas. The most severe impacts, however, came from historic freshwater flooding across Harris County and the Houston area, where multi-day rainfall exceeded 60 inches in some locations, such as Nederland. Widespread flooding inundated thousands of homes, paralyzed the nation's fourth-largest city, and overwhelmed reservoirs like Addicks Reservoir and Barker Reservoir. Significant flooding also occurred in Beaumont, which lost its water supply, and in portions of Louisiana as the remnant system moved east.

Aftermath and recovery

The immediate aftermath saw large-scale rescue operations involving the Coast Guard, the Texas National Guard, and countless civilian volunteers, often dubbed the "Texas Navy." Over 30,000 people were displaced into temporary shelters, including at the George R. Brown Convention Center and NRG Stadium. The U.S. Congress passed multiple disaster relief bills, with initial aid exceeding $15 billion. Long-term recovery efforts, managed by FEMA and the General Land Office, focused on home repairs, Small Business Administration loans, and Community Development Block Grant programs. The event sparked major discussions about floodplain management, the adequacy of Houston's infrastructure, and the influence of climate change on extreme rainfall events.

Records and statistics

The storm set the record for the greatest total rainfall from a tropical cyclone in the contiguous United States, with a peak accumulation of 60.58 inches near Nederland. It was the first major hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since Hurricane Wilma, ending a record 12-year period. Harvey's cost of $125 billion tied it with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, adjusting for inflation. The event also marked the most significant rainfall event in Texas history and contributed to 2017 becoming the costliest year on record for U.S. disaster losses.

See also

* 2017 Atlantic hurricane season * Hurricane Katrina * Hurricane Maria * Climate change * Flood control in the Netherlands

References

External links

Category:2017 Atlantic hurricane season Category:Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes Category:Retired Atlantic hurricanes Category:History of Houston Category:Natural disasters in Texas