News Release

NASA sees a slow-moving, soaking Tropical Storm Harvey

Peer-Reviewed Publication

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Aqua Image of Harvey

image: This visible light image from NASA's Aqua satellite was captured by the MODIS instrument at 1:30 p.m. CDT on Aug. 26. Harvey's northernmost clouds cover Dallas, and southern extent stretched from Corpus Christi on the east coast, to Laredo in southwestern Texas. view more 

Credit: Credits: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

Hurricane Harvey has weakened to Tropical Storm while still centered over southeastern Texas, but continues to generate a tremendous amount of rainfall. Satellite imagery revealed the eye had disappeared as the storm weakened.

A visible light image from NASA's Aqua satellite was captured by the MODIS instrument at 1:30 p.m. CDT on Aug. 26. In the image, Harvey's northernmost clouds cover Dallas, and southern extent stretched from Corpus Christi on the east coast, to Laredo in southwestern Texas. At the time of the image, Harvey still maintained an eye and it was located between San Antonio and Victoria.

At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, an image was created using visible light data from NOAA's GOES-East satellite imagery on Aug. 26 at 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 UTC). The image showed a somewhat elongated center of circulation with a large area of thunderstorms wrapped around the center. Harvey's bands of thunderstorms stretching far to the east over Louisiana.

NOAA manages the GOES series of satellites, and NASA uses the satellite data to create images and animations. The animation was created by the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Harvey's Location at 4 p.m. CDT on Aug. 26

NOAA's National Hurricane Center said at 4 p.m. CDT (5 p.m. EDT/2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Harvey was located by Doppler radar near latitude 29.1 North, longitude 97.6 West. That put's Harvey's center about 45 miles (70 km) west-northwest of Victoria, Texas. Harvey has been nearly stationary and little motion is anticipated during the next few days.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts. Additional weakening is expected during the next day or two. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 km) from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 990 mb (29.24 inches).

Warnings Continue

A Storm Surge Warning was in effect for Port Aransas to High Island, Texas and a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Baffin Bay to High Island, Texas.

In addition, flooding remains the major concern. The National Hurricane Center said Harvey is expected to produce additional rain accumulations of 15 to 25 inches over the middle and upper Texas coast through Thursday. Isolated storm totals may reach around 40 inches in this area. Elsewhere during the same period, Harvey is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 5 to 15 inches farther south toward the lower Texas coast, farther west toward the Texas Hill Country and southwest and central Louisiana. Rainfall of this magnitude will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flooding.

NHC's Key Messages While Harvey Barely Moves

1. While Harvey's winds are decreasing, life-threatening hazards will continue from heavy rainfall over much of southeastern Texas and from storm surge along portions of the Texas coast.

2. Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding is expected across the middle and upper Texas coast from additional rainfall of 15 to 25 inches, with isolated storm totals as high as 40 inches, through Thursday, Aug. 31.

3. A Storm Surge Warning remains in effect for portions of the Texas coast. Life-threatening storm surge flooding will be slow to recede due to the slow motion of Harvey and a prolonged period of onshore flow. For a depiction of areas at risk, see the Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic at http://www.hurricanes.gov.

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

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For updated forecasts, visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov


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