Hurricane Harvey: A Thousand-Year Storm
Kevin Felts 08.29.17
Harvey was–is–much more than a hurricane or a tropical storm. It’s the result of perfect weather conditions that may only happen once every thousand years.
We are watching a historical event that will be talked about for generations.
From Fox News: (Harvey floodwaters overflow Houston reservoir, separate levee breach reported)
‘The storm is generating an amount of rain that would normally be seen only once in more than 1,000 years,’ said Edmond Russo, a deputy district engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers.
The worst is probably yet to come, as Houston is expected to receive more rainfall.
Reservoirs designed to control flooding in the greater Houston area are full and flood waters are starting to flow over the top.
Hours after the Addicks Reservoir was overtopped, officials in Brazoria County, located south of Houston, warned that a levee at Columbia Lakes had been breached by floodwaters and urged any residents who had not already evacuated the area to leave immediately, writing “GET OUT NOW!!”
The flooding was a result of three weather systems:
- High pressure to the west of Texas
- Hurricane Harvey
- High pressure to the east of Texas
Hurricanes are unable to move through areas of high pressure. So when Harvey tried to go between the areas of high pressure, it stalled and was eventually pushed back out into the Gulf of Mexico.
When a Hurricane makes landfall, it usually passes through the coastal regions, goes inland, and dissipates. Harvey had the unique opportunity to stall at sea, which allowed it to dump a record amount of rainfall on southeast Texas.
The worst is not over yet. All the rainfall north of Houston has to go somewhere.
Hurricane Harvey is truly one for the history books.
