Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Port Arthur: Harvey drama continues

The latest chapter in once Category 4 Hurricane and now Tropical Storm Harvey centers on the Texas-Louisiana border region.

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NOAA

Harvey made landfall again overnight just east of the Texas-Louisiana border. Torrential rains swirling around the center pounded Beaumont, Texas, and Port Arthur, Texas, as the storm swirled ashore.

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Weather Underground

Port Arthur picked up incredible 24-inch rainfall totals in 24 hours.

Water rushed into the streets of Port Arthur overnight. Desperate citizens pleaded for help on Twitter and other media as water levels reached the roof in some areas.

https://twitter.com/kaykay_dadon/status/902871856692289536

In situations like this, Twitter and other crowd-sourced local social media does a better job of communicating with immediacy. News crew simply can't get into flooded areas.

Roads in and out of Port Arthur are under water and impassable.

Floodwaters even rose into the designated shelter in Port Arthur overnight.

The situation in Port Arthur is the latest chapter in this massive, devastating storm and is ongoing today. Local officials are requesting help.

Port Arthur is home the the nation's largest oil refinery. It has been shut down due to floodwaters.

We'll need to watch this going forward to see how much damage has been done to a significant percentage of U.S. refinery capacity.

Irma forms in the Atlantic

Say hello to Irma, the next tropical storm to form in the eastern Atlantic.

Irma rb_lalo-animated
NOAA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Hurricane Center will start issuing advisories on Irma today. Chance of development? 100 percent.

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NOAA

Irma is likely to cross the open Atlantic and be in a position somewhere east of the United States by next week. It's still too early to know if it will affect the eastern U.S.

Irma tracks
NOAA via South Florida Water Management District.

The peak of the Atlantic hurricane season still lies ahead.

peakofseason

Stay tuned.