Hurricane Harvey (Blog Update #8)

Hurricane Harvey was a Category 4 hurricane that mad land on Texas and Louisiana in August 2017. The storm caused catastrophic flooding and more than 100 deaths. Flooding in the Houston metropolitan area and southeastern Texas resulted in $125 billion. It is tied with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record.

In a four-day period, some areas received more than 40 inches of rain as Harvey moved slowly across eastern Texas and heavy rains lead to extreme flooding in these areas.

This as actually the first major hurricane to to make landfall in the United States since Hurricane Wilma all the way back in 2005.

Enlarged map of rainfall from the hurricane in the Houston and Beaumont metropolitan areas in southeast Texas. Courtesy: David M. Roth; NOAA WPC.

107 people lost their lives due to Hurricane Harvey. Because of all the damage Harvey caused, the name was retired in April 2018 and will never be used for another Atlantic tropical cyclone.

Infrared satellite loop of Harvey making its third U.S. landfall. Courtesy: NOAA