How does Hurricane Harvey compare with Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike (and Tropical Storm Allison)

https://spacecityweather.com/harvey-almost-certainly-the-biggest-us-flood-storm-of-all-time/

 

Here are the top 10 Gulf Coast flood events, as measured in “Mississippi River discharges” over that time:

• 3.6 Hurricane Harvey 2017 (estimate)
• 3.4 Hurricane Beulah, 1967
• 3.1 Brazos River flooding, 1899
• 2.8 Hurricane Georges, 1998
• 2.6 Southeast Texas flooding, 1994
• 2.5 Louisiana floods, June 1940
• 2.4 Tropical Storm Alberto, 1994
• 2.3 November Texas floods, 1940
• 2.3 Louisiana floods, 1953
• 2.3 Tropical Storm Allison, 2001

TS Claudette (1979) must have just missed the list.

 

Harvey is still flooding new counties as we speak.
We've yet to visit so many TX homes.

I think it's really too early to rank it, but it's kind of like wondering about Lebron after his first Miami championship at this point. Harvey is going to be one for the ages.

 

Not just any one measure determines impact though. It's always some random combination of circumstances that makes a huge difference, like the levee situation in katrina. Or harvey slowly robot dancing across s.e. texas, keeping its a-hole hovering above houston the entire time.

 

Yeah he dropped the rusty trombone on us while doing a drunken waltz..

 

Add this to the lists Harvey tops.

 

Harvey is the worst of the worst.

We're talking about the whole city became part of gulf of Mexico for 2-3 days. Neighborhoods and street that had never been flooded before submerged under 3-4 feet of water. They said before the storm hits to move to higher ground, but how can you move to higher ground when the whole city is under water?

There are parts of the city are still under water as I type this. Beyond ridiculous and our imagination.

 

A dubious distinction. Harvey already the costliest Atlantic hurricane, ever.

Costliest Atlantic Hurricanes

Costliest Atlantic hurricanes
Name Damage
(Billions USD) Season Storm classification
at peak intensity Areas affected References

Harvey $160.0 2017 Category 4 hurricane

• The Caribbean
• Latin America
• United States Gulf Coast

[1]
Katrina $108.0 2005 Category 5 hurricane

• The Bahamas
• United States Gulf Coast

[2]
Sandy $75.0 2012 Category 3 hurricane

• The Caribbean
• United States East Coast
• Eastern Canada

[3][4][5]
Ike $37.5 2008 Category 4 hurricane

• Greater Antilles
• Texas
• Louisiana
• Midwestern United States

[6][7][8]
Wilma $29.4 2005 Category 5 hurricane

• Greater Antilles
• Central America
• Florida

[9][10][11][12]
Andrew $26.5 1992 Category 5 hurricane

• The Bahamas
• Florida
• United States Gulf Coast

[6][13]
Ivan $23.3 2004 Category 5 hurricane

• The Caribbean
• Venezuela
• United States Gulf Coast

[6][14][15]
Irene $16.6 2011 Category 3 hurricane

• The Caribbean
• United States East Coast
• Eastern Canada

[16][17][18]
Charley $16.3 2004 Category 4 hurricane

• Jamaica
• Cayman Islands
• Cuba
• Florida
• The Carolinas

[19]
Matthew $15.09 2016 Category 5 hurricane

• Colombia
• Venezuela
• The Caribbean
• United States East Coast

[20][21]
Rita $12.0 2005 Category 5 hurricane

• Cuba
• United States Gulf Coast

[22]
Hugo $10.0 1989 Category 5 hurricane

• The Caribbean
• United States East Coast

[6][23]
Frances $9.8 2004 Category 4 hurricane

• The Caribbean
• Eastern United States
• Ontario

(more in link above)

 

Katrina will probably only lose the top spot if New Orleans is hit by a Cat 5 -- Harvey will probably take over as the 2nd most costly natural disaster.

 

I think Harvey is the most costly disaster in US history.

 

I don't know the inflation adjusted dollars, but the 1900 Galveston storm killed thousands and basically made that city move inland, thus the Port of Houston.

 

There have been several hurricanes in the US that were deadlier than Harvey, the one thing you can't replace are human lives....

 

I hope this isn't in poor taste, but for those who are fans Harvey reminds me of this:

 

Holy mother of....

 

Harvey will be the peak rain event ever eclipsing Allison.
I've seen worse wind damage but I think that is actually more superficial than the flood damage. You clean up the trees and replace the electric lines and your in pretty good shape. There will probably be a half million cars and 200,000 houses with significant to total damage. /// out of my ass estimates.

That means months to replace (even rentals) the cars and maybe a couple of years to get workman and supplies enough to repair the homes.

Mortimer, buy sheetrock futures!

 

I've thought this for the last few days: Harvey will by far eclipse the economic damage of Katrina.