<P> The eighth named storm, third hurricane, and the first major hurricane of the extremely active 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, Harvey developed from a tropical wave to the east of the Lesser Antilles, reaching tropical storm status on August 17 . The storm crossed through the Windward Islands on the following day, passing just south of Barbados and later near Saint Vincent . Upon entering the Caribbean Sea, Harvey began to weaken due to moderate wind shear, and degenerated into a tropical wave north of Colombia, early on August 20 . The remnants were monitored for regeneration as it continued west - northwestward across the Caribbean and the Yucatán Peninsula, before redeveloping over the Bay of Campeche on August 23 . Harvey then began to rapidly intensify on August 24, regaining tropical storm status and becoming a hurricane later that day . While the storm moved generally northwest, Harvey's intensification phase stalled slightly overnight from August 24--25; however, Harvey soon resumed strengthening and quickly became a major hurricane and attained Category 4 intensity later that day . Hours later, Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas, at peak intensity . Afterwards, rapid weakening ensued, and Harvey had downgraded to a tropical storm as it stalled near the coastline of the state, dropping torrential and unprecedented amounts of rainfall over the Lone Star state . On August 28, it emerged back over the Gulf of Mexico, strengthening slightly before making a third and final landfall in Louisiana on August 29 . As Harvey drifted inland, it quickly weakened again as it became extratropical on September 1, before dissipating two days later . </P> <P> Harvey caused at least 91 confirmed deaths: 1 in Guyana, and 90 in the United States . Total damage from the hurricane is estimated at $198.63 billion, making it the costliest natural disaster ever in the United States . </P> <P> Early on August 13, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring a tropical wave on the western coast of Africa . Amid favorable environmental conditions, the wave was expected to merge with a broad area of low pressure to its west, southwest of Cape Verde and gradually organize thereafter . Instead, the two disturbances remained separate, with the broad trough continuing westward and the tropical wave moving farther north, eventually becoming Potential Tropical Cyclone Ten . On August 17, shower and thunderstorm activity in association with the trough further west began to show signs of organization, while high - resolution satellite showed an increasingly defined low - level circulation . As such, the NHC initiated advisories on a potential tropical cyclone, allowing tropical storm watches and warnings to be hoisted for portions of the Lesser Antilles . An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft deployed to the disturbance later that afternoon found a well - defined center and tropical storm - force winds, prompting the NHC to upgrade it to Tropical Storm Harvey at 21: 00 UTC . </P> <P> Following its designation, the tropical storm moved swiftly westward into the Caribbean Sea, under the influence of an expansive ridge of high pressure to its north . An environment of moderate wind shear complicated the weather of the storm's intensity, with global forecast models suggesting dissipation in the central Caribbean, whereas statistical and hurricane models suggested the potential for Harvey to come near hurricane strength in later days . Over the next day, the storm changed little in structure, remaining poorly organized with its low - level center on the eastern edge of associated deep convection . Harvey's presentation began to deteriorate early on August 19; its convective pattern became elongated while the circulation became less defined . In fact, a reconnaissance aircraft was unable to find a loosely - closed circulation at 850 mb (4,781 ft), though it did locate one at lower levels . Harvey was downgraded to a tropical depression at 21: 00 UTC on August 19; six hours later, based on continued data from a reconnaissance aircraft, it was declared an open tropical wave . </P>

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