Hurricane Harvey to Hit as a Category 3 Storm

Hurricane Harvey is projected to hit Texas on Friday as a category 3 storm, The Houston Chronicle reported Thursday. The storm, which was previously forecasted to reach only category 1 status, might now have winds of at least 111 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It will likely make landfall between Corpus Christi and Matagorda Bay. Harvey is expected to bring heavy rainfall and flooding across southeast Texas. Various coastal areas were given evacuation orders, including Portland, Corpus Christi, and Port Aransas. The state has not been hit by a hurricane since 2008, when Ike caused widespread destruction and killed 21 people in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas.