BEAUMONT - We will be updating any closures and late-starts resulting from Tropical Depression/Storm Harvey as we receive confirmed information.

MORE | Track the storms with 12News</s>MEXICO CITY (AP) – The remnants of former Tropical Storm Harvey moved into the southern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday night, and forecasters warned it could reorganize as a tropical system and threaten Texas late this week.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the low pressure system was clearing Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and probably would become a tropical depression or even a tropical storm Wednesday or Thursday.

The center said the system could reach the northwestern Gulf by Friday and there was a threat of prolonged heavy rain and flooding for portions of the coast from northeastern Mexico to southern Louisiana into the coming week. Texas could also see storm surge and tropical storm- or hurricane-force winds, the advisory said.

To the west, once-mighty Hurricane Kenneth weakened rapidly far out in the Pacific and was downgraded to a tropical storm. It had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph) Tuesday night, down from its top force of 130 mph (210 kph) as a Category 4 hurricane Monday.

It was centered about 1,535 miles (2,465 kilometers) west of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula.</s>Harvey was upgraded to a tropical storm late Wednesday night and is expected to reach hurricane strength before making landfall along the Texas coast.

At 11 p.m., maximum sustained winds were near 45 mph. The National Hurricane Center said Harvey could become a hurricane Friday.

Model forecast tracks are pretty unanimous in taking Harvey toward the Texas coastline by the end of the week. However, it must be noted that with a system that has yet to develop a cohesive, closed center of circulation, uncertainty is higher than usual.

Wind is always a concern with a tropical system but the greatest threat may be heavy rainfall from late this week and through the weekend. There is some potential that Harvey will slow significantly or even stall once inland, resulting in a prolonged stretch of heavy rains. While the heaviest rain would likely be closer to the track of the system, anything headed into Texas puts south Louisiana on the wetter side of the system.

Most guidance is indicating rain totals of 3" to 6" on average in our part of the world over the next seven days, but those totals could easily go quite a bit higher should Harvey track closer to us or even if a few heavy rain bands set up in our region. The rain potential is what we'll be watching the closest.

It should also be noted that tornadoes are always a possibility with a landfalling tropical system, so we'll need to monitor that potential later this week and into the weekend. The outer bands that are somewhat removed from the center can often be more prolific at producing tornadoes.

Stay alert this week and follow the WAFB Storm Team on air, online, and on social media for continuous updates.</s>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards issued an emergency declaration Thursday, preparing the state for the possibility of flooding rains from Texas-bound Hurricane Harvey.

"This is a very serious storm," Edwards said at a news conference in Baton Rouge.

Forecasters said the center of Harvey, which reached hurricane strength Thursday, was expected to hit the Texas coast Friday or early Saturday. Heavy rains are expected to extend into Louisiana as its winds spin counter-clockwise, carrying water from the Gulf of Mexico far inland.

National Weather Service forecasts had rainfall amounts as high as 15 inches in southwest Louisiana over the next seven days, and up to six inches in the New Orleans area.

"It could be a lot more. It could be next to nothing," Barry Keim, the state climatologist at LSU, said in a telephone interview. "There's potential for some very, very big rains, depending on the track of the storm."

Edwards, who dealt with disastrous storm flooding in parts of south Louisiana just over a year ago, was accompanied by Maj. Gen. Glenn Curtis, head of the Louisiana National Guard, who said the state has positioned six boats and 15 high-water vehicles in the New Orleans area and can dispatch more to other parts of the state if needed.

In New Orleans, where flash floods Aug. 5 exposed numerous problems with the pumps and pipes that remove floodwaters, Mayor Mitch Landrieu said improvements have been made and are ongoing.

"We remain in a state of diminished draining capacity," Landrieu said. He said capacity has been increased since those recent floods and that 105 of 120 pumps are working. He also noted that intense and prolonged rain can flood parts of New Orleans even when the system is at full strength.

When heavy rain two weeks ago flooded streets and buildings in parts of the city, initial statements by city officials that pumps were working at full capacity turned out to be false. Not only were some pumps out of service, there were problems with a turbine that generates power for the system.

The head of the city's Sewerage and Water Board has since resigned, and a six-member emergency team is overseeing improvements.

 _</s>As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center has found that the tropical wave, formerly known as Harvey, has restrengthened. This storm takes on the same name as it had previously.

Harvey is located in the southern Gulf of Mexico, where the water temperatures are very warm, and conditions will be favorable for continued strengthening. The path of Harvey will generally be to the north-northwest, at a relatively slow rate of speed. Strengthening to a tropical storm is likely later today, and Harvey could become a hurricane Friday afternoon.

Hurricane and Storm Surge Watches have been issued for parts of the Texas coastline. Tropical Storm Watches are in place for portions of the coastline of NE Mexico as well. Harvey should reach the Texas coastline by late Friday.

Rough surf, storm surge of four to six feet, and locally heavy rain will be concerns for parts of the coastline. Rainfall amounts of 10-15 inches, with a few areas seeing as much as 20 inches, will be possible for parts of the middle and upper Texas coast and southwest Louisiana.

Anyone with travel or cruise plans in the western Gulf of Mexico, or travel plans to coastal Texas or western Louisiana, in the next week or so, should monitor development of this system closely.</s>Hurricane Harvey has been strengthening rapidly as it rolls across the southern Gulf of Mexico, headed for a likely landfall somewhere along the Texas coast.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm could be a Category 3, or major hurricane, before or as it makes landfall.

It its latest forecast, the NHC warns that Harvey is “quickly strengthening and forecast to be a major hurricane when it approaches the middle Texas Coast … life-threatening storm surge and freshwater flooding expected.”

What is storm surge, how does it happen and why should you be wary of it? Here is a quick look at storm surge.

A storm surge is water pushed inland as a hurricane advances and makes landfall.

How does it form?

Imagine a bowl of water. Put your hand in the middle of the bowl and cup it. Now slowly push your hand toward the edge of the bowl. Those are the same dynamics as storm surge. The ocean water is pushed by winds and waves, and is also sucked into the air near the eye of the hurricane by low pressure.

Is it a “wall of water” that rushes in?

Rarely. It is usually a rise of water that can happen quickly, moving at the same rate as the forward speed of a hurricane.

How powerful is it?

Very powerful. Only 1 cubic yard of sea water weighs 1,728 pounds. A 6-inch surge can knock a person down.

How dangerous is it?

Storm surge kills more people in a hurricane than all other components of the storm. The overwhelming majority of deaths in the 10 deadliest U.S. landfalling hurricanes were the result of storm surge.

Get away from it. A surge 1 foot deep can take a car off a road. Get out early, because the surge can begin up to 24 hours before landfall. During Hurricane Katrina, people stayed in their homes and died there when the surge filled their homes with water and they could not escape. Also, don’t leave pets at home. Many animals died when people left them in their homes during Hurricane Katrina.</s>Tropical Depression Harvey in the southern Gulf of Mexico is forecast to head toward Texas and then meander into early next week.

Model forecast tracks are pretty unanimous in taking Harvey toward the Texas coastline by the end of the week. However, it must be noted that with a system that has yet to develop a cohesive, closed center of circulation, uncertainty is higher than usual.

Wind is always a concern with a tropical system but the greatest threat may be heavy rainfall from late this week and through the weekend. There is some potential that Harvey will slow significantly or even stall once inland, resulting in a prolonged stretch of heavy rains. While the heaviest rain would likely be closer to the track of the system, anything headed into Texas puts south Louisiana on the wetter side of the system.

Most guidance is indicating rain totals of 3" to 6" on average in our part of the world over the next seven days, but those totals could easily go quite a bit higher should Harvey track closer to us or even if a few heavy rain bands set up in our region. The rain potential is what we'll be watching the closest.

It should also be noted that tornadoes are always a possibility with a landfalling tropical system, so we'll need to monitor that potential later this week and into the weekend. The outer bands that are somewhat removed from the center can often be more prolific at producing tornadoes.

Stay alert this week and follow the WAFB Storm Team on air, online, and on social media for continuous updates.</s>MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A Hurricane Warning has been issued for the Texas coast from Port Mansfield to Matagorda as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to strengthen in the western Gulf of Mexico.

At 5 a.m. the center of the system was about 370 miles southeast of Port Mansfield.

Harvey was moving to the north at 10 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles from the center.

On the forecast track, Harvey will approach the southern Texas coast on Friday, possibly as a hurricane.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for…

 * Port Mansfield to San Luis Pass

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for…

 * South of Port Mansfield to the Mouth of the Rio Grande

 * North of San Luis Pass to High Island

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…

 * Port Mansfield to Matagorda

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…

 * North of Matagorda to High Island

 * South of Port Mansfield to the Mouth of the Rio Grande

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for…

 * South of Port Mansfield to the Mouth of the Rio Grande

A Tropical Storm Watch is effect for…

 * South of the Mouth of the Rio Grande, Texas to Boca de Catan Mexico.

Harvey is expected to produce 10 to 15 inches of rain, with isolated maximum amounts of 25 inches, over the Texas coast through next Wednesday. During the same time period Harvey is expected to produce up to 9 inches of rain along its outer radius including parts of south, central, and eastern Texas and the lower Mississippi Valley. Rainfall from Harvey may cause life-threatening flooding.

The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.

Port Mansfield to the San Luis Pass could see 5 to 7 feet of surge. The San Luis Pass to High Island could see 2 to 4 feet of surge.

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the northeast of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.
• Click here for ways to prepare yourself for an impending storm from our Hurricane Preps page
• Click here for latest news surrounding hurricanes and the National Hurricane Center
• Click here to see all of the latest maps when a storm forms in the Atlantic
• Click here to download the CBS4 2017 Hurricane Guide (English)</s>If you have any outdoor plans in the next few days, you may want to rethink them.

Tropical depression Harvey, a weather system expected to affect the coast of Texas and parts of Louisiana, could to be upgraded to a tropical storm, according to The Weather Channel. It has the potential to become a hurricane.

Areas near the Texas and Louisiana coasts are at risk for potential flooding due to heavy rainfall.</s>The remnants of Tropical Storm Harvey gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, prompting tropical storm and hurricane watches for heavy rains, strong winds and flooding that could threaten the Gulf Coast over the next 48 hours, forecasters said.

The National Hurricane Center had said the storm could make landfall, affecting the cities of Corpus Christi, Tex., Houston and New Orleans, among others.

The center updated its advisories on Wednesday, saying hurricane conditions were possible by Friday for coastal areas from Port Mansfield, Tex., northeast to San Luis Pass, which is 25 miles southwest of Galveston, Tex.

Tropical storm and storm surge watches were in effect from the mouth of the Rio Grande to Port Mansfield, and from San Luis Pass to 60 miles northeast to High Island, Tex., it said. A life-threatening storm surge was possible from rising water moving inland along the coastline, the center said.

The center said in a statement on Tuesday that a concern would be if the system stalled after making landfall. That could mean a prolonged period of heavy rainfall and flooding across portions of Texas, Southwestern Louisiana and northeastern Mexico stretching into early next week.

“The hurricane hunter plane is in the area now and trying to find whether there are tropical storm force winds, but it looks like it is getting its act together,” Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman for the center, said in an interview on Wednesday morning.

Also on Wednesday, the Mexican government issued a tropical storm watch from Boca De Catan to the mouth of the Rio Grande.
Hurricane and storm surge watches are issued for Texas and Louisiana as the tropical system Harvey strengthens into a tropical depression and is predicted to bring both heavy rainfall and storm surge.