Harvey
2017 Atlantic Hurricane SeasonOverview
Hurricane Harvey was a devastating Category 4 hurricane that became the second-costliest tropical cyclone on record ($125B). Harvey made landfall in Texas and then stalled over the Houston metropolitan area for four days, dropping unprecedented rainfall totals exceeding 60 inches. The catastrophic flooding affected over 300,000 structures.
🧭 What This Means For You
💨 How dangerous was this wind?
Winds 130–156 mph (209–251 km/h). Catastrophic damage. Most roofs destroyed, trees uprooted, and affected areas may be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Compare: a typical car crash at 70 mph feels violent — imagine 130 mph sustained winds.
💰 What was the human cost?
To put this in perspective: $125B could fund thousands of rebuilding projects, or cover years of flood insurance premiums for an entire coastal county.
107 people lost their lives — behind every number is a family, a home, and a community that had to rebuild.
✅ What you can do today
- Check your emergency kit — water, food, medicine, batteries
- Know your evacuation route and shelter locations
- Sign up for free alerts so you are never caught off guard
Storm Path
Storm Track Data
| Time (UTC) | Latitude | Longitude | Wind (mph) | Pressure (mb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-08-17 06:00 UTC | 12.5°N | 50°W | 35 | 1006 |
| 2017-08-18 06:00 UTC | 13°N | 55°W | 40 | 1003 |
| 2017-08-19 18:00 UTC | 14°N | 62°W | 45 | 1004 |
| 2017-08-21 06:00 UTC | 15°N | 70°W | 40 | 1003 |
| 2017-08-23 06:00 UTC | 17.5°N | 78°W | 50 | 998 |
| 2017-08-24 06:00 UTC | 20.5°N | 84°W | 60 | 990 |
| 2017-08-25 06:00 UTC | 24.5°N | 90°W | 85 | 974 |
| 2017-08-26 00:00 UTC | 27°N | 94°W | 110 | 950 |
| 2017-08-26 06:00 UTC | 28°N | 97°W | 130 | 937 |
| 2017-08-27 06:00 UTC | 29°N | 97°W | 45 | 983 |
| 2017-08-29 06:00 UTC | 28.5°N | 94.5°W | 45 | 991 |
| 2017-08-30 18:00 UTC | 30°N | 92°W | 35 | 998 |
| 2017-09-01 06:00 UTC | 35°N | 87°W | 30 | 1004 |
Data Source
Track data from NOAA National Hurricane Center. Last updated: 2017-09-02.