Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport Friday evening as a catastrophic Category 4 storm with winds around 130 mph.

Harvey made its second landfall along the northeastern shore of Copano Bay, Texas just after midnight. As of 3 a.m., the National Hurricane Center says Harvey is a Category 2 Hurricane.

There have been reports of damage in the area, including the collapse of a building where several people were trapped.

Reporters in the Omni Hotel in nearby Corpus Christi reported they could feel the building swaying.

The impacts of a Category 4 hurricane (130-156 mph) can include: Catastrophic damage to homes and buildings; mobile homes are destroyed; most large trees are snapped or uprooted; some roads impassable; large areas without power and communication outages.

It's also shaping up as just about a worst-case scenario storm with possible flooding from two different directions.

Harvey is moving slowly and will be stuck over the Texas coast through the middle of next week, which means rainfall measured in feet, not inches.

"This is going to be a very major disaster," said Gov. Greg Abbott, who declared a State of Disaster for 30 counties and requested 700 National Guard members to be activated.

FEMA granted Governor Abbott's request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration Friday night as Harvey made landfall on the Texas coast.

We're already feeling the effects of Harvey in the Greater Houston Area with a flurry of tornado warnings. There are reports of damage in some areas, including Galveston and the Matagorda County town of Sargent. There have been no reports of injuries.

In Houston, we could see rainfall of 15 to 20 inches with isolated areas getting up to 30 inches of rainfall by next Wednesday.

"It's possible that some spots could get up to 30 inches of rain -- it won't be everywhere -- but it will be in spots and so those spots that get that much rain, clearly, they will have a very significant flood threat," said KHOU 11 Chief Meteorologist David Paul.

Except for our coastal communities, Harvey's winds and storm surge will not be an issue for Houston. The main concern inland will be rain. Houston is on the "dirty side" of the storm, which means Harvey's outer bands will bring heavy downpours and storms to southeast Texas while Corpus gets hit by the hurricane force winds.

Get an inside look at Harvey from the Hurricane Hunters

Tornado touches down in Matagorda County, curfew in place

LIST: Evacuation orders in some coastal cities due to Harvey

NICU babies flown out of storm zone to North Texas

There is also concern about the forecast track. Currently Harvey is forecast to slowly make its way north along the Texas coast and arrive in Houston as a tropical storm early next week. This means Houston could get even more heavy rain Tuesday into Wednesday, especially if Harvey continues to move slowly. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect.

As many as 1.25 million Texans could lose power from the storm, according to forecast models at Texas A&M University.

Several counties have already called for mandatory and voluntary evacuations. Locally, Galveston County Judge Mark Henry has issued a voluntary evacuation for residents on Bolivar Peninsula effective Friday, Aug. 25 at 8 a.m. This order includes the unincorporated areas of Port Bolivar, Crystal Beach, High Island and Gilchrist. Residents who rely on medical assistance or those who cannot go without power for an extended period of time are encouraged to leave.

The Brazoria County judge has issued a mandatory evacuation for coastal communities along the Gulf side of the Intracoastal canal. The evacuation is due to an expected 6-10 foot storm surge. There is a voluntary evacuation for low-lying coastal areas inland of the Intracoastal Waterway.

LIST: Tap here for the list of current evacuation orders

WHEN TO EVACUATE: Should I stay or should I go?

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Matagorda and Jackson Counties.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Brazoria County.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Brazoria County, Chambers, Fort Bend County, Galveston County, Harris County, Waller County, Wharton County.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Austin County, Colorado County.

A Tornado Watch is in effect until 2 a.m. Saturday for Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Jackson, Matagorda & Wharton counties.

A Flash Flood Warning is in effect until 6:30 a.m. for Austin, Brazoria, Colorado, Fort Bend, Jackson, Matagorda, Waller, Washington and Wharton counties.

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect until until 7 p.m. Tuesday for Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Harris, Jackson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Waller, Washington & Wharton counties.

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect until until 7 a.m. Sunday for Colorado, Jackson, Matagorda & Wharton counties.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a State of Disaster for 30 counties in anticipation of Tropical Storm Harvey making landfall. County Judge Hebert declared a local state of disaster for Fort Bend County.

President Trump ordered federal aid Friday to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey.

The governor has also activated 700 members of the Texas Army and Air National Guards and Texas State Guard to areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey. </s> UPDATE: Harvey weakens into Tropical Storm with sustained winds of 70 mph

ROCKPORT, Texas - Harvey rolled onto shore overnight as a powerful Category 4 storm. It has now been downgraded to a Tropical Storm.

> WATCH: New video; overnight video shows first images of damage from Harvey; watch HERE

As of Saturday morning, as many as ten people had been injured and taken to a makeshift hospital at an area jail. Damaged was reported to numerous buildings. Roofs collapsed at a local nursing home and high school.

Rockport is just up the shoreline from Corpus Christi, Texas. The storm packed 130 mph winds as it blasted the region.

As the sun rose Saturday, crews were just able to safely survey the damage. Damage reports will likely be coming in all day.

The storm was downgraded by Saturday morning to a Category 1 but still posed a significant threat to the Texas coast because of large amounts of rainfall expected. People as far north as Houston could feel the impacts of significant rain and possible flooding later Saturday. Some areas could receive more than 35 inches of rain.

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 and strengthened again around 6 o'clock Friday to become a Category 4.

While Texas will most likely bear the brunt of the approaching Hurricane Harvey, bands of rain from the storm have been sweeping over parts of Louisiana. Flood warnings have been issued along some southwest Louisiana rivers with forecasters saying some low-lying roads and recreational areas are threatened. And officials worry that rain could last for several days, raising worries of more serious flooding.

The slow-moving storm's unpredictable long-term path had the attention of both state and local officials.

Official calls for evacuations were issued Friday in parts of Cameron and Vermilion parishes where forecasters say rainfall totals could approach 15 to 20 inches over the next seven days.

Rainfall projections for New Orleans are lower. But officials urged vigilance there, noting that a change in the storm's track could increase flood dangers.

This Weekend: The weather should be fairly typical of August with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Due to the tropical air mass in place, any thunderstorms will be efficient at producing rain and downpours could leave behind a quick inch or two in isolated locations. Keep in mind though, nothing widespread is expected and some areas will actually stay dry. There certainly does not appear to be any need to cancel plans through Sunday. High temperatures will be just a few degrees shy of normal--in the upper 80s--due to increased cloud cover and pockets of rain. Nighttime lows will be in the mid 70s as usual.

Next Week: While the evolution of the storm system remains uncertain, it is becoming a bit more clear than last week. By Monday, whatever remains of Harvey is expected to stay over southeastern Texas. However, at the same time, two upper level ridges east and west of the area, are expected to weaken and "unclog" the stalled pattern. As a result, there will be increased development of showers and thunderstorms across southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi. Meanwhile, moisture content in the atmosphere will remain very high and some pockets of heavy rain could become established--especially Monday and Tuesday. It is worth pointing out that areas on the eastern side of an inland tropical system often see isolated tornadoes as well. Be on alert for any warnings issued. The remnants of Harvey could continue to bring unsettled weather to the western and central Gulf Coast straight through the week.

With regard to the rainfall forecast, persistence remains the name of the game. The WBRZ Weather Team still expects the Baton Rouge area to receive 4-7 inches of rain through Friday. Certainly, there could be isolated amounts twice as high bringing the potential for flash flooding and river flooding. The National Weather Service is planning to issue a Flash Flood Watch for the area later this weekend to highlight that possibility. The highest rainfall totals will likely occur closer to the stalled front which is expected to remain along the Louisiana coast. Areas from Morgan City to Houma to Grand Isle could see nearly 10 inches of rain.

It is still just a little early to tell how local rivers could be affected. Only the next 48 hours of forecast rainfall is factored into predicted river levels. Since the heaviest rain is expected next week, it may not be until Sunday that we know what kind of rises may occur. The National Weather Service has issued a special hydrologic outlook to highlight the potential for rises on area rivers. As usual, the Amite, Comite, Tickfaw and Tangipahoa will be most vulnerable some residents nearby should take the necessary precautions, just in case river flooding occurs.

Keep in mind, flooding is not imminent, simply a possibility which is why the WBRZ Weather Team encourages the Baton Rouge area, counties in Southwest Mississippi and especially parishes along the southeast Louisiana coast to monitor the forecast as it evolves. Plan to get frequent forecast updates from the WBRZ Weather Team on News 2, wbrz.com, Facebook, Twitter and the WBRZ WX App. on Apple and Android devices. As always during hurricane season, stay prepared and review plans. </s> A tropical depression that formed in the Gulf of Mexico has now attained the status of a hurricane. According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Harvey has reached wind speeds of more than 80 mph as of Thursday afternoon. The Center has also forecast that Hurricane Harvey will hit the Texas Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane as it intensifies further. If the forecast does turn out to be true, it will make Harvey the strongest hurricane to hit the U.S. in more than a decade. The last major storm in the region was Hurricane Wilma that hit the U.S. back in October 2005, the Washington Post reports.

With the threat of Hurricane Harvey looming large, the National Hurricane Center also issued a hurricane warning for a 280-mile long stretch of the Texas coast. The center has also warned about the possibility of some areas getting as much as 25 inches of rain over the course of the next week. As of now, Hurricane Harvey is part of a slow moving storm system which has lead to heightened concerns of heavy rainfall and subsequent waterlogging and flooding. Some areas in Texas could also see dangerous flash floods. A statement issued by hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski of Accuweather read;

Another Accuweather weather expert Marshall Moss has predicted that the impact caused by Hurricane Harvey would be of “tremendous” nature and that it will cause severe damage to life and property across the region.

People and businesses living in the path of the hurricane have started preparing for the worse. Petroleum companies ExxonMobil, Shell and Anadarko Petroleum have started evacuating their workers from the region. People living on South Padre Island have started filling sandbags to protect their homes and businesses.

A hurricane watch is in effect for most of coastal Texas — from Port Mansfield to Luis Pass. There are also concerns about storm surges that could range from 5 to 7 feet in height. Owing to these concerns, residents living along the upper Texas coastline have been asked to move inland. People living in low-lying areas have also been directed to seek higher ground.

The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott has directed the State Operations Center to raise its readiness level and has already declared a state of emergency. While it is not possible to correctly predict the behavior of hurricanes once they hit land, current computer models reveal that Hurricane Harvey will make landfall on Friday night — somewhere between Port Mansfield and San Luis Pass.

In case you happen to live in the path of the hurricane, now is the time you started preparing to keep yourselves and your family safe. </s> Harvey continued to intensify as it steered for the Texas coast, with the forecasters saying early Friday that it had strengthened to a Category 2 storm.The hurricane with the potential for up to 3 feet of rain, 125 mph winds and 12-foot storm surges could be the fiercest such storm to hit the United States in almost a dozen years. Forecasters labeled Harvey a "life-threatening storm" that posed a "grave risk" as millions of people braced for a prolonged battering that could swamp dozens of counties more than 100 miles inland.Landfall was predicted for 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.Harvey grew quickly Thursday from a tropical depression into a Category 1 hurricane. Early Friday, the National Hurricane Center reported it had become a Category 2 hurricane. Fueled by warm Gulf of Mexico waters, it was projected to become a major Category 3 hurricane.The last storm of that category to hit the U.S. was Hurricane Wilma in October 2005 in Florida.Superstorm Sandy, which pummeled New York and New Jersey in 2012, never had the high winds and had lost tropical status by the time it struck. But it was devastating without formally being called a major hurricane."We're forecasting continuing intensification right up until landfall," National Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen said.All seven Texas counties on the coast from Corpus Christi to the western end of Galveston Island have ordered mandatory evacuations of tens of thousands of residents from all low-lying areas. In four of those counties, officials ordered their entire county evacuated and warned those who stayed behind that no one could be guaranteed rescue.Voluntary evacuations have been urged for Corpus Christi itself and for the Bolivar Peninsula, a sand spit near Galveston where many homes were washed away by the storm surge of Hurricane Ike in 2008.Texas officials expressed concern that not as many people are evacuating compared with previous storms."A lot of people are taking this storm for granted thinking it may not pose much of a danger to them," Gov. Greg Abbott told Houston television station KPRC. "Please heed warnings and evacuate as soon as possible."Abbott has activated about 700 members of the state National Guard ahead of Hurricane Harvey making landfall.As of 4 a.m. CDT Friday, Harvey was centered about 180 miles (290 kilometers) southeast of Corpus Christi and was moving northwest near 9 mph (15 kph) with maximum sustained winds near 105 mph (165 kph).Harvey's effect would be broad. The hurricane center said storm surges as much as 3 feet could be expected as far north as Morgan City, Louisiana, some 400 miles away from the anticipated landfall.And once it comes ashore, the storm is expected to stall, dumping copious amounts of rain for days in areas like flood-prone Houston, the nation's fourth most-populous city, and San Antonio.State transportation officials were considering when to turn all evacuation routes from coastal areas into one-way traffic arteries headed inland. John Barton, a former deputy executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation, predicted state officials will do this before the storm hits, but said timing and determining where to use it are the key factors. Storms change paths and if contraflow starts too early, supplies such as extra gasoline needed to support impacted areas can't get in, he said.This would be the first hurricane for Bethany Martinez, who is pregnant and has two boys, 5 and 6, who were with grandparents in Austin. Asked about her demeanor, Martinez replied: "Afraid."She's a front desk clerk at a Holiday Inn Express at Port Aransas. "We are closing down," Martinez said of the 74-room hotel a couple of blocks from the Gulf of Mexico. It was about two-thirds full before all guests were cleared out.Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi was airlifting at least 10 critically ill, mostly premature infants from its neonatal intensive care unit to Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth. They were expected to arrive by early Friday. Cook transport director Debbie Boudreaux said the infants were being moved inland for fear that power outages might disable their ventilators.Harvey would be the first significant hurricane to hit Texas since Ike in September 2008 brought winds of 110 mph (177 kph) to the Galveston and Houston areas and inflicted $22 billion in damage. It would be the first big storm along the middle Texas coast since Hurricane Claudette in 2003 caused $180 million in damage.It's taking aim at the same vicinity as Hurricane Carla, the largest Texas hurricane on record. Carla came ashore in 1961 with wind gusts estimated at 175 mph and inflicted more than $300 million in damage. The storm killed 34 people and forced about 250,000 people to evacuate.White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Donald Trump was "briefed and will continue to be updated as the storm progresses."In Houston, one of the nation's most flood-prone cities, Bill Pennington prepared his one-story home for what he expected would be its third invasion of floodwaters in as many years and the fifth since 1983."We know how to handle it. We'll handle it again," Pennington said he told his nervous 9-year-old son.Dozens were in lines Thursday at a Corpus Christi Sam's Club, at home improvement stores and supermarkets. Alex Garcia bought bottled water, bread and other basics in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land after dropping his daughter off at college. He said grocery items were likely more available in Houston than back home in Corpus Christi, where Garcia, a beer distributor salesman, said stores were "crazy.""We'll be selling lots of beer," he laughed.In Galveston, where a 1900 hurricane went down as the worst in U.S. history, City Manager Brian Maxwell said he was anticipating street flooding and higher-than-normal tides."Obviously being on an island, everybody around here is kind of used to it." </s> An Air Force hurricane hunter aircraft has found former tropical storm Harvey hasn't gained new strength in recent hours as it crawls across the Gulf of Mexico toward Texas.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Wednesday that Harvey could regain tropical storm status in coming hours and become a hurricane Friday as it threatens to bring heavy rains to parts of Texas and southwestern Louisiana later in the week.

Harvey was at 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday about 460 miles (740 ) southeast of Port Mansfield, Texas, while moving to the northwest at 2 mph (4 kph), the said. The storm has top sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph).

Forecasters warn that Harvey is expected to produce rainfall 10 to 15 inches (250-380 millimeters) and possibly up to 20 inches (500 millimeters) in isolated areas of middle and upper Texas and southwest Louisiana. It adds Harvey could cause life-threatening flooding and a dangerous storm surge along the coast.

A hurricane watch is in effect from Port Mansfield to San Luis Pass and a tropical storm watch is in effect from Boca de Catan in Mexico to Port Mansfield — as well as north of San Luis Pass to High Island, Texas.

Former Tropical Storm Harvey has restrengthened into a tropical depression forecast to dump heavy rains on the Gulf Coast and become a hurricane by the time it hits Texas on Friday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Wednesday that Harvey is likely to intensify as it moves over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and deliver heavy rain to parts of eastern Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Rain accumulations of 10 to 15 inches are expected over the middle and upper Texas coast and southwest Louisiana through next Tuesday. The has announced a hurricane watch for the Texas coast from north of San Luis Pass to High Island, and warns of possibly dangerous flooding.

At 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Harvey was located 470 miles (755 kms) southeast of Port Mansfield, Texas. It was moving northwest at about 9 mph (15 kph) and had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph). </s> Thousands are boarding up their homes and business and fleeing Texas ahead of Hurricane Harvey.

The monster storm has been upgraded to a Category 3 hurricane with 130mph winds, hours before it is due to slam into the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Weather Service was forced to add an extra colour to its rainfall chart, with up to 40 inches expected in some areas and a 12ft storm surge.

Experts have warned of "catastrophic" flooding as the Governor of Texas Greg Abbott urged people to evacuate.

"My urgent message to my fellow Texans is that if you live in a region where evacuation has been ordered, you need to heed that advice and get out of harm's way while you can," said Mr Abbott.

He added that Harvey is "turning into a very complex and dangerous hurricane" and that Texas faces "a very major disaster".

The storm, which has an eye around 28 miles wide, will be the first Category 3 strength hurricane to make landfall on US soil since 2005.

It is expected to hit the Gulf of Mexico coastline near the town of Corpus Christi late on Friday, before moving down into Louisiana.

There are question marks over the preparedness of cities in both states to deal with major flooding.

Houston, Dallas and San Antonio have expanded rapidly in the past decade, leading to increasing amounts of concrete which reduces drainage.

In New Orleans, recent storms revealed that the city's drainage pump system wasn't working properly.

Officials are now considering a full evacuation if major storm rainfall is predicted.

It is almost 12 years exactly since Hurricane Katrina, the costly natural disaster in US history, left at least 1,245 people dead.

If the meteorological predictions are worrying, the lack of preparation from the Trump administration is terrifying.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the most important body during a weather disaster, lost its director in January.

Like many key positions, it went unfilled for months after Donald Trump came into power.

Brock Long was only appointed at the end of June, well into hurricane season, and has already alarmed some by suggesting that states should pay more towards disaster relief and get less federal funding.

There is currently no head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the agency in charge of the National Hurricane Center.

In any case, Trump has already proposed drastic cuts to both agencies as part of his 'war on science'.

Ironically, the US President's message via Twitter was to "Plan ahead"

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service tweeted a warning: "Harvey is expected to be a major hurricane at landfall, bringing life-threatening storm surge, rainfall and wind hazards to portion of the Texas coast.

"Preparations to protect life and property should completed by tonight, as topical-storm force winds will first arrive in the hurricane and storm surge warning areas on Friday."

John Bel Edwards, the Governor of Louisiana, declared a state of emergency for the entire state on Thursday afternoon.

"All arms of the state’s emergency preparedness and response apparatus are planning for the serious threat posed by Hurricane Harvey, and we are calling on all Louisianans throughout the state to do so as well," said Gov. Edwards.

"I will continue to direct all of the necessary resources to preparing for the worst as we all pray for the best, but rest assured, state and local officials are working around the clock to monitor and respond to this potentially dangerous situation." </s> The storm — first spotted Aug. 17 as a "potential tropical cyclone" swirling in the Atlantic — exploded into a Category 4 hurricane before making landfall in Texas, gaining the title the "worst disaster Texas has ever seen," Long said.

Harvey is the first major hurricane to inundate Texas since 2005, bringing historic flooding. Rivers are rising, forcing people to seek refuge in attics and rooftops while they wait for rescue boats in the flooded roadways. Houston officials Monday morning released more water from reservoirs overwhelmed by Harvey in an attempt to protect the city from the devastating floods. The impacts of Harvey are still unfolding, and the death toll rising, as the torrential rains continue, totaling 15 to 25 inches through Friday, with up to 50 inches possible in some areas.

So, what lead to all this destruction? Let's follow Harvey from the beginning.

The National Hurricane Center first kept its eye on the storm as it traversed the Atlantic Ocean, tracking toward the Caribbean Sea. First, tropical storm warnings were issued for Martinique, Barbados, St. Vincent, the Grenadines and St. Lucia. The storm center pushed west, with maximum gusts reaching 46 mph, as the Hurricane Center expected the low-pressure area to strengthen to a tropical cyclone later in the evening. The NHC forecasted rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches across portions of the Windward Islands from Martinique southward to Grenada, causing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft reports indicated "slow strengthening" possible during the next 2 days.

Harvey continued to track west across the Caribbean Sea, threatening adjacent land areas of eastern Central America and northern South America. Later that evening, Harvey weakened to a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds reaching 35 mph, and was expected to turn west-northwestward over the next few hours. At this point, Harvey was predicted to slowly strengthen, but it was believed it would only reach, and maintain, its tropical storm status. Later that evening, Harvey degenerated further into remnants.

Public advisories on the remnants of Harvey by the NHC ended as Harvey dissipated. But by Wednesday morning, the storm re-strengthened into a tropical depression, with hurricane and storm surge watches issued for portions of the Texas coast as Harvey neared. At this point, the Hurricane Center believed Harvey was heading for the coast by Friday, simultaneously as it grew into a hurricane.

Forecasted rainfall was believed to reach 10 to 15 inches with isolated maximums of 20 inches over the middle and upper Texas coast and southwest Louisiana through Tuesday, with the heavy rainfall expected to begin Friday morning. The National Hurricane Center noted "rainfall from Harvey could cause life-threatening flooding." The storm surge, the deadliest effect of hurricanes, was forecasted to reach 4 to 6 feet across Port Mansfield to High Island "if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide." The NHC predicted the deepest water along the immediate coast and to the northeast of the landfall location, where the surge would be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

Later that day, Harvey became nearly stationary for hours, dumping more rain than expected.

Harvey took a northwestward turn as it strengthened slightly due to the warm Gulf waters, acting as fuel. The first hurricane warning for the United States was issued for Port Mansfield to Matagorda along the Texas coast, with a tropical storm warning for north of Matagorda to High Island. Rainfall forecasts continued to ramp up, with the NHC predicting amounts over 25 inches in isolated areas on the Texas coast through Wednesday.

Later that day, the headlines started predicting disaster, as Harvey strengthened quickly and was now projected to make landfall as a major hurricane, inducing life-threatening storm surge and freshwater flooding. It didn't take long for rainfall predictions to rise again, jumping to over 30 inches forecasted for isolated regions in the middle and upper Texas coast through Wednesday. Storm surge estimates continued to rise as well, with up to 10 feet of surge expected in some areas.

By the afternoon, Harvey reached hurricane status, as the NHC warned "preparations along the middle Texas coast should be rushed to completion." Life-threatening and devastating flooding was soon to come with Harvey's rainfall and storm surge.

Overnight Thursday into Friday, Harvey strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane with winds topping 105 mph. At this point, the NHC was predicting Harvey to make landfall on the middle Texas coast that evening or early Saturday as a major hurricane, when the storm would likely meander near the middle Texas coast through the weekend. Rainfall estimates continued to grow as predictions more clearly showed Harvey's slow movement. Harvey's outer rain band was just beginning to swipe the lower and middle Texas coasts that morning. By the 3 p.m. hurricane update, Harvey reached Category 3 status with winds over 120 mph, and rainfall estimates escalated to 40 inches in isolated areas across the middle and upper Texas coast.

Later that evening, Harvey intensified to a Category 4 hurricane and the eye approached the Texas coast between Port Arkansas and Port O'Connor. Harvey continued northwest, with an expected decrease in forward speed, conducive to further flooding. Winds now reached up to 130 mph, and storm surge estimates jumped to 9 to 13 feet from Port Arkansas and Port O'Connor, with lesser impacts in surrounding areas.

By that evening, the Category 4 hurricane made landfall.

As the rain continues another day, further impacts from Harvey begin to unfold. Over 20 inches is expected, with some localized amounts up to 50 inches possible.

Long is asking citizens to volunteer with FEMA to help recover from Harvey. The flooding has been so historic, some are comparing the devastation to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Harvey and Katrina share incredibly close dates, which comes to no surprise as we're in the midst of the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1, peaks in September, ending Nov. 30.

The devastating impacts of both storms go hand-in-hand. The National Hurricane Center says structural damage to sturdy buildings is possible from Harvey, some with "complete roof and wall failures." Mobile homes will be destroyed, with damage greatly accentuated by large, airborne projectiles. Some locations may be "uninhabitable for weeks or months." Numerous trees will be snapped and uprooted, along with fences and highway signs blown over. Roads will become impassable, along with bridges and highways.

While the impacts are similar, landfall strengths were noticeably different. Harvey hit the Texas coast as a Category 4 hurricane, while Katrina first made landfall in Florida as a Category 1, traveled over the state and re-strengthened once over warmer waters into a Category 2 with a second landfall in Louisiana.

While Harvey's winds were stronger at landfall than Katrina's, it's the slow speed that's unprecedented. "(This) is something I haven't seen in a long, long time," said Bill Read, former director of the National Hurricane Center, to CNN. "(Harvey may) stall and almost completely stop moving just after coming inland, and the incredible amount of rain we should get out of that is going to lead to record flooding." </s> As Hurricane Harvey gains strength, residents along the Texas coast aren’t taking any chances; they’re filling sandbags, stocking up on water and boarding up windows.

In Corpus Christi, where Harvey could make landfall and Mayor Joe McComb has issued a voluntary evacuation order, Walmart shelves were clearing quickly, as the city canceled Friday’s dockets in city court and provided self-serve sandbags to residents.

Port Aransas on Mustang Island and nearby Portland issued mandatory evacuation orders. Houston, meanwhile, has canceled the first day of school on Monday.

Harvey is rapidly strengthening and is forecast to become a Category 3 hurricane with winds of at least 111 mph by the time it hits the middle Texas coast late Friday or early Saturday, the hurricane center said Thursday. After hitting Corpus Christi, the storm is expected to stall over the state, forecasters say.

Hurricane-force winds are a concern as the storm builds strength in the Gulf of Mexico, and a potential deluge and subsequent flooding may be a big danger as well, according to meteorologists.

“Harvey is likely to bring multiple hazards, including heavy rainfall, storm surge and possible hurricane conditions to portions of the Texas coast beginning Friday,” the National Weather Service said.

“Those conditions can happen far away from the landfall,” hurricane specialist John Cangialosi said Thursday afternoon.

People shouldn’t focus on where the eye will come ashore but should listen to local authorities and be prepared for rain through the weekend and possibly into next week, he added.

At 5 p.m. ET, Harvey was a Category 1 hurricane with 85 mph winds. It was about 305 miles southeast of Corpus Christi, and was moving north-northwest at 10 mph.

It’s expected to bring 15 to 25 inches of rain to the Texas coast, with isolated instances where rainfall totals could reach 35 inches, the hurricane center said, bumping up the predicted totals by 5 inches since a previous advisory.

Rainfall amounts increase exponentially when a storm moves at a slower speed, as Harvey has been doing.

The National Hurricane Center has warned Harvey will slow down when it reaches the coast and there will be days of heavy rain and flooding across portions of Texas. Louisiana and Mexico will also be affected by the storm.

Compounding potential problems is the tidal cycle. If peak storm surge arrives during high tide, parts of the coast could see 2 to 8 feet of flooding, with the potential of 6 to 12 feet between Padre Island National Seashore and Sargent, Texas.

“Historically, water from tropical cyclones is more deadly” than from damage done by the powerful winds of the storm, Cangialosi said.

While it has been nine years since Texas last saw a hurricane, the state is no stranger to devastating flooding from tropical systems. In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison was a multibillion-dollar disaster for the state, specifically Houston. Allison became nearly stationary for days, dropping more than 30 inches of rain across portions of the city.

A hurricane warning is in effect from Port Mansfield near Mexico to Sargent, with a storm surge warning stretching from Port Mansfield to High Island in Galveston County.

Harvey could be the first hurricane to hit Texas since 2008 when Hurricane Ike smashed the coast near Galveston. The storm killed 21 people in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, and caused widespread destruction.

‘It scares the hell out of people’

As Harvey churned toward Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster Wednesday in 30 counties along the Gulf of Mexico. The governor’s action allows agencies to “quickly deploy resources for the emergency response.”

“Texans believe in taking action and always being prepared in the event of an emergency,” Abbott said. “That is why I am taking every precaution prior to … Harvey making landfall.”

Energy companies are evacuating personnel from off-shore production platforms, the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement announced.

In San Antonio, Mayor Ron Nirenberg issued a local disaster declaration warned residents about going out in the rain.

Students and staff at the Texas A&M campus at Corpus Christi are under a mandatory evacuation order. The campus will be closed starting Thursday, according to the university’s website.

People around Corpus Christi started stocking up Wednesday on food, bottled water and other essentials.

“We know that if anything as far as flooding happens, that’s the one thing everyone runs to, we have to have water,” Mariah Barter told CNN affiliate KZTV. “It’s a big deal. It scares the hell out of people. It’s better to be prepared.”

Others in South Texas readied sandbags, fueled up power generators and bought plywood to board up their windows, CNN affiliate KRIS reported.

At a Thursday afternoon White House briefing, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Donald Trump has been briefed on Harvey. She downplayed concerns about preparedness, given that there is no permanent Homeland Security secretary, and said the White House is in “great shape,” given that chief of staff John Kelly was previously in charge of the office. </s> If you have any outdoor plans in the next few days, you may want to rethink them.

Tropical depression Harvey, a weather system expected to affect the coast of Texas and parts of Louisiana, could to be upgraded to a tropical storm, according to The Weather Channel. It has the potential to become a hurricane.

Areas near the Texas and Louisiana coasts are at risk for potential flooding due to heavy rainfall.
Tropical depression Harvey becomes a hurricane, expected to make landfall on the Texas coast at Category 3, bringing life-threatening storm surge, rainfall, and wind hazards.