Monster Hurricane Could Bring 'Flooding Disaster' to Texas

Texas is bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Harvey, a storm that meteorologists say could turn into a slow-moving "monster" that batters the state for several days. Harvey is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane late Friday or early Saturday, and AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski says it "may be nothing short of a flooding disaster" for Texas, USA Today reports. Forecasters say that after it moves ashore, Harvey is likely to end up trapped between two areas of high pressure, keeping it stalled over Texas for up to five days, dumping as much as 35 inches of rain on parts of the state. The latest developments:

• The National Weather Service says ingredients including warm water and calm air high up have made Harvey a potentially life-threatening storm, with a possible storm surge 12 feet high and winds up to 125mph. "It's a very dangerous storm," National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini tells the AP. "It does have all the ingredients it needs to intensify. And we're seeing that intensification occur quite rapidly." The service's safety resources can be found here. The latest from the National Hurricane Center is here.

• Harvey strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane early Friday, CNN reports. Several counties along the coast had already issued evacuation orders. If it does become a Category 3 by the time it is expected to make landfall around 70 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, it will be the first storm that size to hit the US since Hurricane Wilma in Oct. 2005
• The Corpus Christi Caller-Times looks at what people can expect from a Category 3 hurricane—and at what people who choose to ride it out instead of following recommendations to evacuate should do.
• With massive flooding and power outages possible in the Houston area, people have been rushing to stock up on essentials, causing chaos at grocery stores and gas stations, the Houston Chronicle reports. Liquor stores are also experiencing a huge rise in demand.
• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's office says President Trump has called the governor and offered whatever federal resources are needed, KHOU reports. Abbott has already declared a state of disaster in 30 counties. He has also activated 700 Texas National Guard members.
• Interstate 37's northbound lanes were clogged with traffic late Thursday as people fled the Corpus Christi area. "There is no doubt in my mind that the city will flood," resident Angie Flores, who went to Austin with her husband and their four dogs, tells the American-Statesman. "There are some people who aren't going to leave because they think it’s going to be a good time. I worry about them."

(More Hurricane Harvey stories.)