Cities across the Rio Grande Valley will provide sandbags for residents and businesses on Thursday in preparation for possible severe weather.Cameron CountyCameron.
UPDATED 10:15 p.m. The National Hurricane Center says the eye of the Category 4 hurricane made landfall about 10 p.m.
Friday about 30 mph east-northeast of Corpus Christi between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor, Texas, bringing with it 130 mph (215 kmh) sustained winds and flooding rains. The storm quickly grew Thursday from a tropical depression into a Category 1 hurricane, and then developed into a Category 2 storm early Friday. By Friday afternoon, it had become a Category 3 storm before strengthening to a Category 4. Harvey is the first Category 4 hurricane to hit the Texas coast since Hurricane Carla in 1961. Hurricane Harvey is now 35 miles east of Corpus Christi, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center.
It is expected to slow its northwest path, but still make landfall in the next couple of hours. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation suspending the hotel occupancy tax in the state to help lower hotel prices for people who have been forced to evacuate their homes because of Hurricane Harvey. The suspension of the tax, which can vary from county to county, will last 14 days from the time he issued in disaster declaration.
Hours ahead of a projected landfall, Hurricane Harvey is now a Category 4 storm, said the National Hurricane Center. This means it is now packing sustained winds of between 130 and 156 mph and its classification suggests the potential for catastrophic damage. Harvey's eye is expected to hit just northeast of Corpus Christi before midnight on Friday. As Hurricane Harvey continues its march toward the Texas coast, forecasters are warning of 'catastrophic and life-threatening flooding,' with rain accumulations in some spots of as much as 40 inches through next Wednesday, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center.
State officials earlier today indicated they had a low degree of confidence in the national models about what Harvey may do once the eye of the storm reaches land, which is projected to happen later Friday. The unique feature, and danger, of this storm is how it will act when landfall occurs. Most forecasters believe it will stall slightly inland, pouring down copious amounts of rain as far as 100 miles inland.
How long it will remain is becoming the big question -- and concern. Garageband App Free Download. At the same time, the Rio Grande Valley seems to have been spared any direct impact from the storm and a tropical storm warning was lifted for the region around 4 p.m. Hidalgo County Precincts 1, 3, and 4 will cease sandbag distribution operations at 5 p.m.
Today, according to an email from the county. Precinct 2 stopped distributing sandbags this morning as the storm continued moving north of the area. The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Harvey has strengthened to a Category 3 storm. The center says Harvey has maximum wind speeds of 120 mph (193.11 kph) as the powerful storm churns off the Texas coast. Forecasters are labeling it a 'life-threatening storm.' The storm quickly grew Thursday from a tropical depression into a Category 1 hurricane, and then developed into a Category 2 storm early Friday.
By Friday afternoon, it had become a Category 3 storm. It's forecast to make landfall in Texas late Friday or early Saturday. The slow-moving storm is fueled by warm Gulf of Mexico waters. Forecasters are labeling it a 'life-threatening storm' with landfall predicted late Friday or early Saturday between Port O'Connor and Matagorda Bay, a 30-mile (48-kilometer) stretch of coastline about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northeast of Corpus Christi. The Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway leading to South Padre Island has reopened to all traffic, according to the Texas Department of Safety. The National Weather Service cleared the City of McAllen on Friday from receiving any direct impact from Hurricane Harvey.
Residents are urged to keep vigilant to media and weather advisories and that any travel north should be carefully evaluated. The latest update from the National Hurricane Center says weather conditions are deteriorating and water levels are rising along the Texas coast. Locally, there continues to be a storm surge watch and tropical storm warning from Port Mansfield to the mouth of the Rio Grande. The Queen Isabella Causeway leading to South Padre Island has been closed by the Texas Department of Public Safety until further notice, island officials said. Earlier, officials said the causeway would be closed down once sustained winds of 45 mph were reached.
The McAllen Public Works Task Force Strike Team is ready to be deployed if requested by the state to assist in another jurisdiction, whether it's flooding, sewage, cleaning drainage, etc. Such action occurs when other local municipalities or local governments become overwhelmed. The task force has close to 10 members and has been requested by the state to be on standby.
McAllen also has an incident management team composed of individuals experienced in managing extreme situations. This five-member team is also ready to be deployed.
Cameron County officials are prohibiting drivers from traveling to South Padre Island. Traffic on the Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway is now only allowed to leave the city. When the winds reach 45 mph the Texas Department of Transportation will close the bridge until the threat of Hurricane Harvey is over. United Airlines has canceled all mid-day and evening flights going in and out of McAllen-Miller International Airport on Friday, which totals six flights. Airport officials are still awaiting word on Saturday cancellations.