Category 4 Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas on Friday night.  Harvey was the first Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale to officially make landfall in Texas since Hurricane Carla in 1961.  Harvey was the first Category 4 hurricane to officially make landfall in the U.S. since Hurricane Charley in 2004.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Harvey was located at latitude 28.0°N and longitude 97.0°W which put it about 30 miles (50 km) east-northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas.  Harvey was moving toward the northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 130 m.p.h. (215 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 938 mb.

The center of the eye of Hurricane Harvey moved across San Jose Island and it officially made landfall near Rockport, Texas.  The powerful western side of the eyewall moved over Corpus Christi Bay, Port Aransas, Ingleside and Rockport.  Those areas experienced winds of over 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h).  The eye was over Aransas Bay and the winds were weaker in Rockport.  The wind speeds will increase again when the eastern part of the eyewall reaches those locations.  Bands of winds to tropical storm force were revolving inland outside the core of Hurricane Harvey.  Winds to hurricane force extended out about 40 miles (65 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out about 140 miles (225 km) from the center.

The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Harvey at landfall was 25.1.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 11.9 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 37.0.  The indices indicate that Hurricane Harvey is capable of producing regional extensive damage. In terms of wind speed and size Hurricane Harvey is similar to Hurricane Charley.  The HII for Charley when in made landfall in southwest Florida in 2004 was 29.9.  The HSI was 8.1 and the HWISI for Charley was 38.0.  Harvey is not quite as strong as Charley was, but Harvey is a little larger.  So, Hurricane Harvey has approximately the same potential to cause damage that Hurricane Charley had.

Hurricane Harvey completed an eyewall replacement cycle a few hours before it made landfall.  the timing of the eyewall replacement cycle meant that Hurricane Harvey had time to intensify to Category 4 before it reached the Texas coast.  The eye contracted and the wind speed increased right up until Hurricane Harvey made landfall.  Hurricane Harvey was at its maximum intensity when it made landfall.

Hurricane Harvey slowed down as it reached the coast and areas near the core of the hurricane are experiencing prolonged periods of high wind speeds.  The prolonged period of high winds will increase the damage caused by those winds.  The winds north of the center of circulation are driving the water toward the coast and a storm surge of 12 feet (4 meters) is possible in some locations.  Hurricane Harvey could stall or make a slow loop during the next several days.  In either case, Hurricane Harvey will drop very heavy rain in some places and fresh water flooding is a serious risk.