Hurricane Harvey has just become a major Category 4 hurricane as it churns towards the Texas Gulf Coast. Preparations should be completed now. Life-threatening inland flooding and a significant coastal storm surge are likely.

As of 7 p.m. CDT, Hurricane Harvey was located near 27.8 N and 96.8 W. That’s about 35 miles east of Corpus Christi, Texas, and about 50 miles south-southwest of Port O’Connor, Texas. Harvey’s top sustained winds have increased to 130 mph. This means Hurricane Harvey is now a Category 4 hurricane. It’s slowed down to 8 mph. Its minimum central pressure has dropped to 941 mb, or 27.79 inches of mercury.

Hurricane Warnings are in effect for the Texas coast from Port Mansfield to Matagorda and into Sargent. Tropical Storm Warnings spread from north of Sargent, Texas, to High Island, Texas to the mouth of the Rio Grande River. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect south of the Mouth of the Rio Grande in Texas to Boca de Catan, Mexico.

Harvey’s impacts will be significant with rain totals along the Texas Gulf Coasts and inland areas of southern and eastern Texas reaching 15 to 25 inches. This includes the greater San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Galveston areas. Current forecasts call for Harvey to stall just inland of the Texas Gulf Coast this weekend, so significantly higher rainfall totals exceeding 35 inches by early next week cannot be ruled out. Unfortunately, this will likely result in widespread life-threatening and prolonged flash flooding. Residents need to take this matter seriously and evacuate if ordered by local authorities.

Harvey will also deliver a 6 to 12 -foot storm surge along and east of its path into the Texas Gulf Coast, while also producing large swells, battering waves and dangerous, life-threatening rip currents. A Storm Surge Warning has been issued from Port Mansfield, Texas, to High Island, Texas, including the great Corpus Christi area and Storm Surge Watches remain in effect from south of Port Mansfield, Texas, to the mouth of the Rio Grande River and north of the San Luis Pass to High Island, Texas.