Hurricane Harvey is about to mess with Texas, most powerful storm in a decade churns toward Corpus Christi

Hurricane Harvey expected to make landfall as a category 3 storm.

Hurricane Harvey is churning toward Texas, taking aim at Corpus Christi. At the time of this writing, no mandatory evacuation orders have been issued. The storm is expected to make landfall late this afternoon as a category 3 storm, with sustained winds over 110 MPH. The storm will weaken rapidly afterwards, but will drop flooding rains along the gulf coast as far east as New Orleans.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Hurricane Harvey is about to make landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas this afternoon as a category 3 storm. It will bring maximum sustained winds of 110 MPH to the coast, and up to 35 inches of rain in some places. Flooding may be widespread from Corpus Christi to New Orleans.

The storm was born around August 17 as what meteorologists call a tropical wave, east of the Lesser Antilles. When the disturbance entered the Caribbean, it was torn apart by wind shear and meteorologists figured the storm was done. However, they also knew it was headed to warmer waters, so they kept an eye on the system.

Their worst fears were realized on August 23 as the storm suddenly reformed. Within two days it went from a mere tropical wave to a category 3 hurricane with 110 MPH winds. The speed with which the storm developed is rare. The storm was named Harvey.

At this time, Harvey is spinning and approaching the Texas Gulf Coast, with aim to make landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas. Its high winds and flooding rains will tear apart anything in its path as it makes landfall. Despite this danger, no mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for Corpus Christi. That may change, and most residents have voluntarily evacuated already.

The storm will lose intensity once over land, but it may drop up to 35 inches of rain in some areas. Enough rain should fall to ensure flooding. Officials have warned that alligators may be displaced by the floods and residents should exercise caution when returning home.

The storm will be the Trump administration's first disaster test. The President has plans to play golf this weekend, but it is expected those plans will be canceled. Most of east Texas has already been declared a disaster area.

After landfall, the storm is expected to impact Houston and later New Orleans as it moves back east.

Anyone in the path of the storm is advised that Harvey is a dangerous storm and in the absence of good shelter from wind and flooding, people must evacuate.

Our prayers are with all those affected by this disaster.