Record Rainfall for Houston and Beaumont

Houston received the brunt of Harvey’s rain, with parts of the city receiving more than 50 inches (here are more detailed maps of Houston). The storm made its final landfall in East Texas and Louisiana, dropping dozens of inches of rain on Port Arthur and Beaumont on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Source: National Weather Service

Surveying the Extent of the Damage

An initial damage assessment by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, released early on Wednesday, estimated that almost 60,000 structures were damaged in Texas. More than 25 percent of those structures sustained major damage or were destroyed, and reports of damaged structures are almost certain to grow.

Destroyed Major damage Minor damage Conroe Beaumont LA. More than 43,000 structures were damaged or destroyed in Harris County. Port Arthur Pasadena Houston Galveston Bay City TEX. Freeport Victoria Gulf of Mexico Rockport The number of damaged structures around Rockport exceeded 1,500. Corpus Christi 50 MILES More than 43,000 structures were damaged or destroyed in Harris County. Conroe Beaumont Port Arthur Pasadena TEX. Houston Galveston Bay City Freeport Victoria Gulf of Mexico Rockport The number of damaged structures around Rockport exceeded 1,500. Corpus Christi 50 MILES More than 43,000 structures were damaged or destroyed in Harris County. TEXAS Conroe Beaumont Port Arthur Pasadena Houston Galveston Bay City Freeport Gulf of Mexico 50 MILES Conroe Beaumont LA. More than 43,000 structures were damaged or destroyed in Harris County. Port Arthur Pasadena Houston Galveston TEX. Bay City Freeport Victoria Gulf of Mexico Rockport The number of damaged structures around Rockport exceeded 1,500. 50 MILES Corpus Christi Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency

Thousands Are in Shelters Across the State

Shelters big and small have opened across the state, as far away as in Dallas, where some evacuees ended up after fleeing the storm. The Texas Department of Public Safety counted nearly 35,000 people in about 240 shelters on Wednesday morning.

Dallas TEXAS Austin Houston San Antonio Victoria Laredo 100 MILES Dallas TEXAS Austin Houston San Antonio Laredo 100 MILES Source: Texas Department of Public Safety

The number of people in shelters has more than doubled since Tuesday. At least 47 shelters were opened in Houston and the largest by far was the downtown convention center.

Cypress Ranch High School 1,000 people M.O. Campbell Education Center 2,000 people HOUSTON Bay Harbour United Methodist Church 505 people George R. Brown Convention Center 7,550 people 10 MILES M.O. Campbell Education Center 2,000 people Cypress Ranch High School 1,000 people Bay Harbour United Methodist Church 505 people HOUSTON George R. Brown Convention Center 7,550 people 10 MILES Cypress Ranch High School 1,000 people M.O. Campbell Education Center 2,000 people HOUSTON George R. Brown Convention Center 7,550 people 10 MILES Cypress Ranch High School 1,000 people M.O. Campbell Education Center 2,000 people HOUSTON George R. Brown Convention Center 7,550 people Bay Harbour United Methodist Church 505 people Galveston Bay 10 MILES Source: Texas Department of Public Safety

How Harvey Strengthened

This video, based on composite satellite imagery, shows the storm’s path through the Gulf of Mexico from August 23 to Thursday.

What Is Known So Far About the Extent of Flooding

Preliminary data collected by the Dartmouth Flood Observatory from satellites shows extensive flooding along the Texas coast.

Extent of flooding Houston Detailed data not available Galveston Victoria Gulf of Mexico 20 miles Corpus Christi Source: Dartmouth Flood Observatory

Not all areas have been completely surveyed, so the map represents a minimum estimate of the flooded area, according to G. Robert Brakenridge, director of the observatory. The actual extent of the flooding is likely to be greater.

How Rivers Flooded

Floodwaters continued to rise in inland rivers as the storm moved through the region.

TEXAS 8 Austin 7 6 4 Houston 3 5 San Antonio 2 1 Corpus Christi South Texas river levels, feet above sea level Buffalo Bayou Guadalupe River Brazos River Colorado River 4 3 1 2 Flood stage 21 ft. 39 123 122 6 7 93 102 Fri. 6 a.m. Tues. 5 a.m. Trinity River Village Creek West Fork San Jacinto Brays Bayou 7 6 5 8 41 28 49 26 1 16 42 10 TEXAS 8 Austin 7 6 4 Houston 3 5 San Antonio 2 1 Gulf of Mexico Corpus Christi South Texas river levels, feet above sea level Buffalo Bayou Guadalupe River Brazos River Colorado River 4 1 3 2 Flood stage 21 ft. 39 123 122 6 7 93 102 Fri. 6 a.m. Tues. 5 a.m. Trinity River Village Creek Brays Bayou West Fork San Jacinto 7 6 5 8 41 28 49 26 1 16 42 10 8 Austin TEXAS LA. Beaumont 7 6 3 4 Houston 5 San Antonio 2 Gulf of Mexico 1 South Texas river levels, feet above sea level Buffalo Bayou Brays Bayou Trinity River Village Creek West Fork San Jacinto Guadalupe River Colorado River Brazos River 7 6 5 3 4 8 2 1 Flood stage 41 28 49 26 21 ft. 39 123 122 1 16 42 10 6 7 93 102 Fri. 6 a.m. Mon. 5 a.m.

History of Strong Storms That Made Landfall

Before Harvey, fewer than a dozen storms in the past century have reached land in the region as a Category 4 hurricane or higher.

Category 4 or Higher Hurricanes That Have Reached Land Category 3 or lower Category 4 Category 5 Austin LOUISIANA Houston Galveston Hurricane 1915 Betsy 1965 Carmen 1974 Great Galveston Hurricane 1900 TEXAS Freeport hurricane 1932 Carla 1961 Corpus Christi 1916 Texas hurricane Gulf of Mexico Beulah 1967 Brownsville Baton Rouge Austin LOUISIANA Houston 1915 San Antonio 1965 1974 TEXAS 1900 1932 1961 Corpus Christi Gulf of Mexico 1916 1967 MEXICO Austin LOUISIANA Betsy 1965 Houston Galveston Hurricane 1915 Great Galveston Hurricane 1900 TEXAS Carmen 1974 Freeport hurricane 1932 Carla 1961 Corpus Christi 1916 Texas hurricane Gulf of Mexico Beulah 1967 Source: International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship

Cities and Counties That Issued Evacuation Orders

As the hurricane approached, seven coastal counties in Texas and one Louisiana parish ordered mandatory evacuations in some areas. Corpus Christi mayor Joe McComb also encouraged residents to leave.

Cities and counties under evacuation Mandatory Voluntary Austin LOUISIANA Houston TEXAS San Antonio Galveston Island Gulf of Mexico Corpus Christi MEXICO Austin LOUISIANA TEXAS Houston San Antonio Galveston Island Corpus Christi Gulf of Mexico LOUISIANA Austin TEXAS Houston San Antonio Galveston Island Corpus Christi Gulf of Mexico

How the Storm Moved Through the Region

The hurricane made landfall in southern Texas Friday night as a Category 4. As the storm spun offshore and then back again, it continued to dump massive amounts of rain on Texas and Louisiana, raising the risk of additional flooding (path shown in Central daylight time). This map shows the available data from the National Weather Service.