The record setting rainfall from Tropical Storm Harvey continued over southeastern Texas and Louisiana on Tuesday morning. A rain gauge southeast of Houston near Mary’s Creek at Winding Road has measured 49.20 inches (125 cm) of rain from Tropical Storm Harvey as of 9:00 a.m. CDT on Tuesday. This total sets a new record for the most rainfall from a tropical cyclone over the contiguous 48 states of the U.S. The previous record was 48 inches (122 cm) dropped by Tropical Cyclone Amelia in 1978 over Medina, Texas.
At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Harvey was located at latitude 28.4°N and longitude 94.3°W which put it about 115 miles (185 km) south-southwest of Cameron, Louisiana. Harvey was moving toward the north-northeast at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 997 mb.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Port O’Connor, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Morgan City to Grand Isle, Louisiana.
The center of Tropical Storm Harvey moved back over the Gulf of Mexico late on Monday and it is currently over the northwestern Gulf. Harvey is still producing heavy rain over southeastern Texas and parts of Louisiana. There is still a well defined center and strong counterclockwise rotation in the lower levels of the atmosphere. Dry air wrapped around the circulation of Harvey and there are mainly lighter showers near the center of the tropical storm. There are several stronger bands of thunderstorms on the eastern periphery of the circulation. Those bands are dropping heavier rain over eastern Louisiana and parts of Mississippi. The strong counterclockwise rotation is transporting moist air over land. Increased friction over the land is causing more convergence which is pushing the air upwards. Stronger rising motion is generating areas of heavier rain over southeast Texas and southern Louisiana. In addition, the land is warming during the day, which is making the lower atmosphere more unstable and contributing to the heaver rain.
Flood Watches and Warnings are in effect from Northwest Florida to Southeast Texas because of the potential for more heavy rain. Tropical Storm Harvey is finally starting to move slowly toward the north-northeast. It should make a landfall on the coast of Louisiana early on Wednesday. Tropical Storm Harvey will weaken as it moves farther inland and it should move over the Lower Mississippi River Valley as a tropical depression late this week. The rain over southeastern Texas and southern Louisiana should end once Harvey moves farther inland.
Elsewhere, a low pressure system designated Potential Tropical Cyclone Ten was bringing gusty winds and higher waves to portions of the Mid-Atlantic coast. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Ten was located at latitude 34.4°N and longitude 77.2°W which put it about 35 miles (60 km) west-southwest of Cape Lookout, North Carolina. It was moving toward the northeast at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect from Cape Lookout to Duck, North Carolina including Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds. Potential Tropical Cyclone Ten is forecast to merge with a front and become a strong extratropical cyclone over the western Atlantic Ocean.