HARVEY-RELATED ACTIVITIES
HARVEY-RELATED ACTIVITIES
HARVEY-RELATED ACTIVITIES
Hurricane Harvey made landfall on August 25, 2017 near Corpus Christi, Texas. Over the next five days the storm devastated the Texas coast, dropping over 36 inches of rain over 2500 sq mi area and causing unprecedented levels of damage. Harvey is likely the costliest storm in U.S. history, exceeding Hurricane Katrina. Life-threatening flooding in the City of Houston and surrounding areas caught the world’s attention.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall on August 25, 2017 near Corpus Christi, Texas. Over the next five days the storm devastated the Texas coast, dropping over 36 inches of rain over 2500 sq mi area and causing unprecedented levels of damage. Harvey is likely the costliest storm in U.S. history, exceeding Hurricane Katrina. Life-threatening flooding in the City of Houston and surrounding areas caught the world’s attention.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall on August 25, 2017 near Corpus Christi, Texas. Over the next five days the storm devastated the Texas coast, dropping over 36 inches of rain over 2500 sq mi area and causing unprecedented levels of damage. Harvey is likely the costliest storm in U.S. history, exceeding Hurricane Katrina. Life-threatening flooding in the City of Houston and surrounding areas caught the world’s attention.
Hill Country Flood
Rice University SSPEED Center’s FIRST will provide critical flood warnings in real time
In the aftermath of the devastating July 2025 floods in the Texas Hill Country, the need for reliable, real-time flood warning systems has never been more urgent. While rural and urban areas experience flooding in different ways, both face life-threatening risks without timely information. For decades, Rice University’s Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center has led efforts in flood modeling and disaster preparedness. Its state-of-the-art Flood Information & Response System (FIRST) provides accurate, real-time forecasts to protect critical infrastructure and communities. The system’s capabilities are applicable to both urban centers and rural regions nationwide.
NEXRAD radars are located throughout Texas and provide for very accurate rainfall estimation.
Field Trip to the Hill Country
Ellery Underhill, a future grad student of our program, shared the perspective of her experience when visiting the area affected by the flood.
Presentation: Texas special legislative session of the Hill Country Flood
