Harvey to dump heavy rains on Texas; hurricane possible

MIAMI (AP) — Former Tropical Storm Harvey has restrengthened into a tropical depression forecast to dump heavy rains on the Gulf Coast and become a hurricane by the time it hits Texas on Friday.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Wednesday that Harvey is likely to intensify as it moves over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and deliver heavy rain to parts of eastern Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Rain accumulations of 10 to 15 inches are expected over the middle and upper Texas coast and southwest Louisiana through next Tuesday. The center has announced a hurricane watch for the Texas coast from north of San Luis Pass to High Island, and warns of possibly dangerous flooding.

At noon CDT Wednesday, Harvey was located 470 miles (755 kms) southeast of Port Mansfield, Texas. It was moving northwest at about 9 mph (15 kph) and had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph).