Hurricane Harvey

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There was a guy named Jeff who livestreamed his experience with Hurricane Harvey. Me and my family watched it, we thought he died because the roof was caving in, but he didn't, which is a relief.

I visited Seaside heights a couple months before Sandy hit. The boardwalk carnival was destroyed.

Sandy had category 3 or 4 level storm surge flooding even though it was a category 1
1. Because it was historically big storm the winds pushing the ocean onto land lasted much longer
2. The Barometric Pressure of 940 millibars was what one would expect in a category 4 or higher. It was the lowest reading for any landfalling Atlantic Hurricane north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
100,000 homes were damaged or destroyed by Sandy on Long Island alone and the Jersey Shore was decimated.

Unlike with Harvey with Sandy, we only had 2 or 3 inches of rain, not 2 or 3 feet.

The most rain in a US tropical system was 52 inches in Hawaii and for the mainland US is 48 inches at Medina, Texas in 1978. Unlike those storms, this calamity is occurring in Metro Houston as well as more rural areas.

These people were rescued eventually.

Tropical Storm Harvey Discussion Number 30
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL092017
400 PM CDT Sun Aug 27 2017

The unprecedented flooding rainfall event continues to unfold over a
large area of southeastern Texas. While Harvey has been moving
slowly eastward or east-southeastward today, bands of heavy rainfall
have continued to form over the northwestern Gulf and train inland
over much of the upper Texas coast and southwestern Louisiana. Storm
total rainfall amounts in the 20-27 inch range are quite common in
the Greater Houston area, and additional rainfall amounts of 15 to
25 inches are expected over the next several days. Rainfall total
could reach 50 inches in some locations, which would be historic
for that area.

Harvey is still producing tropical-storm-force winds, with a recent
observation of 34 kt with a gust to 46 kt at New Braunfels, Texas.
The NHC track guidance is in better agreement showing Harvey moving
just offshore of the Texas coast on Monday, then turning northward
and moving inland over northeastern Texas by 72 hours. All of the
global models show some slight deepening of the system after it
moves over water, but given the lack of an inner core, significant
strengthening is not anticipated. Although a tropical storm watch
has been issued, which may need to be extended eastward along
the upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coast tonight, heavy
rainfall and life-threatening flooding continue to the primary
threats.

Key Messages:

1. Ongoing catastrophic and life-threatening flooding will continue
across southeastern Texas. Additional rainfall accumulations of 15
to 25 inches are expected, with isolated storm totals as high as 50
inches, through Friday. Please heed the advice of local officials.
Do not attempt to travel if you are in a safe place, and do not
drive into flooded roadways. Refer to products from your local
National Weather Service office and the NOAA Weather Prediction
Center for more information on the flooding hazard. A summary of
rainfall totals compiled by the Weather Prediction Center can be
found at: http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc1.html
STORM SUMMARY NUMBER 7 FOR TROPICAL STORM HARVEY RAINFALL AND WIND
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
400 PM CDT SUN AUG 27 2017

...TROPICAL STORM HARVEY OBSERVED RAIN TOTALS AND WIND REPORTS...

FOR A DETAILED GRAPHICAL DEPICTION OF THE LATEST
WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES...PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV

THESE ARE THE MOST RECENT RAINFALL AND WIND REPORTS FROM TROPICAL
STORM HARVEY. PLEASE REFER TO NHC FOR THE LATEST PUBLIC
ADVISORIES ON HARVEY.

...SELECTED STORM TOTAL RAINFALL IN INCHES FROM 800 PM CDT THU AUG
24 THROUGH 300 PM CDT SUN AUG 27...

...LOUISIANA...
LAKE CHARLES MUNI ARPT 5.49
CHOUPIQUE BAYOU @ HWY 90 5.39
HACKBERRY 5 SSE 4.95
PECAN ISLAND 2 E 4.33
FORT POLK 3.69
SABINE 3.60
IOWA 0.9 ESE 2.03

...TEXAS...
DAYTON 0.2 E 27.45
SANTA FE 0.7 S 27.42
DIXIE FARM ROAD 26.76
FIRST COLONY 4 WSW 24.83
SOUTH HOUSTON 4.0 SSW 24.54
LA MARQUE 1.8 E 24.53
BEAMER DITCH HUGHES RD 24.40
LEAGUE CITY 2 W 22.08
BACLIFF 21.62
PEARLAND 3 NNE 20.84
HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT 19.59
BERRY BAYOU AT NEVADA AVENUE 19.52
BEAMER DITCH AT HUGHES ROAD 19.28
LA GRANGE 10.2 NW 18.89
SMITHVILLE 9 E 18.89
HORSEPEN CREEK AT BAY AREA BOULEVAR 18.56
SMITHVILLE 18.50
PEARLAND REGIONAL AIRPORT 18.11
CIRCLE D-KC ESTATES 3.6 ESE 18.02
SUGAR LAND 1.0 W 17.97
CLEAR CREEK AT BAY AREA BLVD 17.84
MAGNOLIA 2.8 S 17.80
PASADENA 2 NW 17.72
WALLER 3.0 WSW 17.57
GOOSE CREEK AT BAKER ROAD 16.56
CLEVELAND 3.6 S 16.43
NEW ULM 5.1 S 16.14
PECAN GROVE 1 NNW 15.80
ALVIN 3 SW 15.16
AUSTWELL 6 SSE 15.10
VICTORIA 2 SW 9.37
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL ARP 7.96
CORPUS CHRISTI INTL ARPT 2.70

...SELECTED PEAK WIND GUSTS IN MILES PER HOUR EARLIER IN THE
EVENT...

...TEXAS...
PORT ARANSAS 2 ENE 132
COPANO VILLAGE 1 ENE 125
LAMAR 2 SSW 110
ROCKPORT 1 S 108
TAFT 5 NNE 90
MAGNOLIA BEACH 8 ESE 79
EDNA 73
FLOUR BLUFF 4 ESE 72
ARANSAS PASS 7 SE 71
CLEAR LAKE SHORES 1 WSW 71
BRAZOS 451 70
PALACIOS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 69
CORPUS CHRISTI NAS 5 SE 65
GANADO 7 S 64
LA WARD 64
BAYOU VISTA 13 E 61
NEW BRAUNFELS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 58
QUINTANA 1 NE 58
SUGAR LAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 58
JONES CREEK 9 SW 55
LA MARQUE 2 E 55
FREEPORT 1 ESE 54
SAN LEON 19 E 54
MISSOURI CITY 1 SE 53
SAN ANTONIO INTL ARPT 53
WEBSTER 53
BERGSTROM INTL AIRPORT 52
GONZALES AIRPORT 52
NASSAU BAY 52
TEXAS CITY 4 ENE 52

A tropical storm watch is up for the Carolina Coast. It should not be nearly as bad as Harvey but residents there should keep an eye out

Man, this thing just keeps on being deadly serious. having a light rain right now here in the middle of Missouri and I can't help but think of y'all in Texas getting near drowned by rain beyond measure.

Here's a bit of good news in the middle of the disaster and hazards,

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-weath ... 990775.php

I live close to Pasadena, the whole city is shut down.

That's gonna have consequences,

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... gulf-coast

BULLETIN
Tropical Storm Harvey Intermediate Advisory Number 32A
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL092017
700 AM CDT Mon Aug 28 2017

...CENTER OF HARVEY EMERGING INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO...
...LIFE-THREATENING FLOODING CONTINUES OVER SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS...
...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL IN THE AFFECTED AREAS IF YOU ARE IN
A SAFE PLACE AND DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED ROADWAYS...


SUMMARY OF 700 AM CDT...1200 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...28.6N 96.1W
ABOUT 25 MI...40 KM NE OF PORT OCONNOR TEXAS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...40 MPH...65 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...SE OR 130 DEGREES AT 3 MPH...6 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...997 MB...29.44 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

None.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Mesquite Bay to High Island

Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding continues in southeastern
Texas, and flash flood emergencies are in effect for portions of
this area. Please see warnings and other products issued by your
local National Weather Service office for additional information on
this life-threatening situation.

Interests elsewhere along the upper Texas coast and in southwestern
Louisiana should continue to monitor the progress of Harvey.

For storm information specific to your area, including possible
inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your
local National Weather Service forecast office.


DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
At 700 AM CDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Harvey was
located near latitude 28.6 North, longitude 96.1 West. Harvey is
moving toward the southeast near 3 mph (6 km/h) and a slow
southeastward motion is expected today. A slow northeastward motion
is expected to begin on Tuesday. The center of Harvey is emerging
off of the middle Texas coast, and it is expected to remain just
offshore through Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher
gusts. Slight restrengthening is possible later today and Tuesday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km)
from the center.

The minimum central pressure estimated from surface observations
along the Texas coast is 997 mb (29.44 inches).


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
RAINFALL: Harvey is expected to produce additional rainfall
accumulations of 15 to 25 inches through Friday over the upper Texas
coast and into southwestern Louisiana. Isolated storm totals may
reach 50 inches over the upper Texas coast, including the Houston/
Galveston metropolitan area. These rains are currently producing
catastrophic and life-threatening flooding, and flash flood
emergencies are in effect for portions of southeastern Texas.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL IN THE AFFECTED AREA IF YOU ARE IN A SAFE
PLACE. DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED ROADWAYS. Please see warnings and
products issued by your local National Weather Service office for
additional information on this life-threatening situation.

Elsewhere, Harvey is expected to produce total rain accumulations of
5 to 15 inches farther south into the middle Texas coast, farther
west toward the Texas Hill Country, and farther east across south-
central Louisiana.

A list of rainfall observations compiled by the NOAA Weather
Prediction Center can be found at:
www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc1.html

STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the
tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by
rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water is
expected to reach the following heights above ground if the peak
surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Port Aransas to Morgan City including Galveston Bay...1 to 3 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near the
area of onshore winds. Surge-related flooding depends on the
relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary
greatly over short distances. For information specific to your
area, please see products issued by your local National Weather
Service forecast office.

WIND: Tropical storm conditions are occurring in rain bands well to
the east of the center of Harvey, including portions of the tropical
storm warning area along the coast. Tropical storm conditions are
likely to persist in areas of onshore winds within the warning area
during the next couple of days.

SURF: Swells generated by Harvey are affecting the coasts of Texas
and Louisiana. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening
surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your
local weather office.

TORNADOES: A few tornadoes are possible today and tonight from the
upper Texas coast across parts of southwestern and south-central
Louisiana.

Oh boy...if it stays in the Gulf of Mexico longer than anticipated, there could really be an increase in strength.

I hope people note that Sandy, despite the fact it was a minimal hurricane/extratropical hurricane upon landfall in South Jersey, was the 2nd most damaging storm in history. I wasn't minimizing Sandy in the least. The flooding from Sandy was because of the Full Moon, and because it was high tide.

I would say Harvey is going to exceed Katrina in sheer damage numbers. I wouldn't be surprised if the damage in Houston far exceeds the damage which New York City underwent.

The weather forums have been buzzing about Harvey restarting up in the Gulf and pounding Houston anew not as a cat 4 but as a strong tropical storm. Even that occurrence would be horrible.

I know you are not downplaying Sandy. How could you, you experience it? Too many New Yorkers think Sandy was the "big one". It was a really big one but not a realistic worst case scenario. What would cat 3 winds do to windows in Manhattan?. How would anybody get around and supplies get into such a crowded area when every street is blocked by trees and debris? Unlike the south the Northeast has big fat trees. The old sewer systems have trouble with your average heavy rain never mind 50 inches.

If this true???

https://www.citylab.com/environment/201 ... ng/538203/

The Independent reported that:

Harvey has caused huge damage in Texas as 30 inches of rain in less than 48 hours resulted in massive flooding.
The current US President, however, has abolished a number of flood standards in an attempt to get infrastructure projects approved more quickly. The Federal Flood Risk Management Standard is among those to have been rolled back.

So now there is even less protection than before? Despite the trend of hurricanes/flooding becoming more severe?

Best way to check truth is to get it "straight from the horse's mouth" as a saying says,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-of ... untability

It does seem to be true although there is so much gobblydegook in the verbiage used that it's hard to decipher the actual meaning into clear English:

"Since the August 15 order, Hurricane Harvey, which was downgraded to a tropical storm, has brought catastrophic flooding to Texas. At least five people have died, and the National Weather Service for the Houston/Galveston area reported estimates of more than 40 inches of rain in some areas.

But the White House is standing by the August 15 order. The administration spokesperson said FEMA had not published a final rule on the Obama directive, and “therefore the regulatory changes had not been implemented and today’s executive order does not change current FEMA policies or programs.” By revoking the 2015 order, “the prior standard will remain in effect,” the spokesperson said. State and local jurisdictions can still implement higher standards.

Opponents of such deregulation say the situation in Texas shows why flood management standards are necessary. “Any of these types of events continue to be a reminder that as we build infrastructure, we need to build it in a more resilient fashion,” says Pallasch, of the American Society of Civil Engineers. “We need to look towards not the last event but the next event.”

I've read that twice and I'm still not sure what it really means..

Government and lawyers seem to have developed that to the level of fine art.