That storm made landfall with only tropical storm–strength winds, but it affected the same area that Harvey did-depositing 40 inches of precipitation. Many may recall Allison in 2001 (Figure 1). Such precipitation totals may seem unprecedented-and they are, in Texas-but not by as much as one might think. Ten million people in the nation’s fourth-largest city were-and many still are-under flood water, having to be rescued from rooftops. The highest total in the region was 51.88 inches in Cedar Bayou. Houston was in the cross hairs more than 24 inches fell in the first 24 hours, with a total of 43.38 inches reported at the National Weather Service Forecast Office. More than 50 inches of rainfall were deposited in parts of Texas, with 30–50 inches common (Figure 1). Total rainfall estimates for Allison in 2001 and Harvey in 2017 (to midnight, August 29). In the 96 hours following landfall, Harvey’s advance averaged just 5 mph (slower than some people walk) and did not follow a straight line-as the crow flies it moved at half that speed. With no large-scale steering patterns present, Harvey essentially stalled over southeastern Texas. What made Harvey unique was that it did not go anywhere (really) after landfall. As they move across a region, a given area may be affected by several heavy rain bands that yield a total of perhaps ten inches-which is a lot of rain in a short time. Most tropical cyclones are capable of generating precipitation at rates of several inches per hour. Totals were conveyed to the general public, emergency managers, and town officials not in inches, but in tens of inches. Read our in-depth article to learn how an inland flood megadisaster could affect the United StatesĮven before Harvey came ashore, forecasters were predicting unprecedented rainfall and flooding for the region those predictions were, unfortunately, realized. The recorded 130 mph winds and 3 meter storm surge-and the damage they caused-were certainly noteworthy, but they are not what people will remember. ![]() coastline at Rockport, Texas, ending the longest “drought” between major hurricane landfalls the U.S. Late Friday evening on August 25 2017, Hurricane Harvey’s Category 4 winds crossed the U.S.
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