<!doctype html><!--[if lt IE 7]>
<html class="lt-ie9 lt-ie8 lt-ie7 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if IE 7]>
<html class="lt-ie9 lt-ie8 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if IE 8]>
<html class="lt-ie9 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if IE 9]>
<html class="ie9 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if gt IE 9]><!-->
<html class="no-js" lang="en">
<!--<![endif]-->
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge" />
  <meta name="description" content="Forecasters say 115-mph winds are expected, along with &quot;life-threatening&quot; storm surges and flooding, as Harvey churns over the central coast of Texas.">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <meta property="fb:app_id" content="10150138890205613"/>
  <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/">
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="155869377766434" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="114288853688" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="273864989376427" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="25987609066" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="103708747870" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="117112876419" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="493352494017633" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="143109582453645" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="153005644864469" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="598356233569407" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="62499551911" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="90692553761" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="108546889203630" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="154957517930371" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="114945745226947" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="164878620263509" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="219012311450917" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="280920811923248" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="358279854182174" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="809948162383434" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="864302923644949" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="868876563129583" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="1508175089456029" />
  <meta property="og:site_name" content="NBC News"/>
  <meta property="og:description" content="Forecasters say 115-mph winds are expected, along with &quot;life-threatening&quot; storm surges and flooding, as Harvey churns over the central coast of Texas."/>
  <meta property="og:title" content="Hurricane Harvey strengthens to Category 2 as it approaches Texas"/>
  <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596"/>
  <meta property="og:type" content="article"/>
  <meta property="og:image" content="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2131996/170824-hurricane-harvey-prep-ac-852p_fb2e98764d5518ff20cc5937bd2827d2.nbcnews-fp-1200-630.jpg"/>
  <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
  <meta name="twitter:site" content="NBCNews"/>
  <meta name="twitter:title" content="Hurricane Harvey strengthens to Category 2 as it approaches Texas"/>
  <meta name="twitter:description" content="Forecasters say 115-mph winds are expected, along with &quot;life-threatening&quot; storm surges and flooding, as Harvey churns over the central coast of Texas."/>
  <meta name="twitter:creator" content="NBCNews"/>
  <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2131996/170824-hurricane-harvey-prep-ac-852p_fb2e98764d5518ff20cc5937bd2827d2.nbcnews-fp-1024-512.jpg"/>
  <link rel="alternate" href="android-app://com.zumobi.msnbc/http/www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596"/>
  <meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=319740707, app-argument=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596">
  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="dMf4cxtcxKlWchKvPlULwDZi8XpI9-ARqe8j2mGmi4Y"/>
  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="K8bowvEbzWfPQ76x6f9SCxMVwicVXrhiClRg80ak8ZA" />
  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="G4SGIUDh2TcgDVNjuleQ-Humwb3JAZaQD9Vg42Stfn8" />
  
  <meta name="news_keywords" content="News,Weather,U.S. news"/>
  <link rel="amphtml" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/amp/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596" />
    <link rel="next" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-hit-texans-still-struggle-recovery-amid-housing-challenges-n833291">
    <meta property="article:author" content="https://www.facebook.com/NBCNews"/>
  
    <meta name="DC.date.issued" content="2017-08-25">
    <meta name="published" content="2017-08-25T13:45:00.000Z"/>
    <title>Hurricane Harvey Intensifies to Category 2 as It Roars Toward Texas - NBC News</title>
    <script type="application/ld+json">
     {
          "@context": "https://schema.org/",
          "@type": "Organization",
          "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com",
          "logo": {
                  "@type": "ImageObject",
                  "url": "https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/site-images/nbcnews-logo-white.png",
                  "width": 166,
                  "height": 24
          },
          "sameAs": [
                    "https://twitter.com/NBCNews",
                    "https://www.facebook.com/NBCNews",
                    "https://plus.google.com/+NBCnews",
                    "https://www.instagram.com/nbcnews",
                    "https://www.youtube.com/nbcnews"
                    ]
     }
    </script>
    <script type="application/ld+json">
          {
            "@context" :{
                "@vocab": "https://schema.org",
                "articleId": {
                    "@id": "Text",
                    "@type": "@id"
                }
            },
            "@type": "NewsArticle",
            "headline": "Hurricane Harvey Intensifies to Category 2 as It Roars Toward Texas",
            "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596",
            "thumbnailUrl": "https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/i/newscms/2017_34/2131996/170824-hurricane-harvey-prep-ac-852p_fb2e98764d5518ff20cc5937bd2827d2.jpg",
            "creator": "Daniella Silva",
            "alternativeHeadline": "",
            "dateCreated": "2017-08-25T13:45:00.000Z",
            "datePublished": "2017-08-25T13:45:00.000Z",
            "dateModified": "2017-08-25T14:23:23.000Z",
            "articleSection":"news",
            "articleId":"795596",
            "name": "Hurricane Harvey Intensifies to Category 2 as It Roars Toward Texas",
            "speakable": {
              "@type": "SpeakableSpecification",
              "cssSelector": [".article-hed h1", ".article-body p:first-child"]
            },
            "image": {
              "@type": "ImageObject",
              "url": "https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/i/newscms/2017_34/2131996/170824-hurricane-harvey-prep-ac-852p_fb2e98764d5518ff20cc5937bd2827d2.jpg",
              "width": 1200,
              "height": 800
            },
            "author": [
              {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Daniella Silva"
              },
              {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Daniel Arkin"
              },
              {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alex Johnson"
              },
              {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Peter Alexander"
              }
            ],
            "publisher": {
              "@type": "Organization",
              "name": "NBC News",
              "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/site-images/nbcnews-logo-white.png",
                "width": 166,
                "height": 24
              }
            },
            "description": "Forecasters say 115-mph winds are expected, along with &quot;life-threatening&quot; storm surges and flooding, as Harvey churns over the central coast of Texas.",
            "mainEntityOfPage": {
              "@type": "WebPage",
              "@id": "https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596"
            }
          }
    </script>
  <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596"/>
  <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/31533d28.favicon.ico"/>
    <link href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/main-c6773045bf.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
    
    <noscript>
        <link href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/fonts-b858ad4bb0.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
        <link href="https://netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
    </noscript>
    
    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/localassets/styles/main.css">
    <script src="//cdn.jsdelivr.net/respond/1.4.2/respond.min.js"></script>
    <![endif]-->

  
  <noscript>
    <style type="text/css">
      html body .no-js-show{ display: block !important;}
      html body .no-js-hide{ display: none !important;}
    </style>
  </noscript>
  <!--[if lt IE 9]>
  <script src="https://html5shiv.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/html5.js"></script><![endif]-->
  <meta name="blitz" content="mu-e1e842c9-946002e6-ea8f0454-41b29546">
    <script>
      // Picture element HTML5 shiv
      document.createElement( "picture" );
    </script>
    <script>
        function getCookie(cname) {var name = cname + "="; var ca = document.cookie.split(';'); for(var i=0; i<ca.length; i++) {var c = ca[i];while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1);if (c.indexOf(name) == 0) return c.substring(name.length,c.length);}return "";}
        function loadCSS(e,n,o,t){"use strict";var d=window.document.createElement("link"),i=n||window.document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0],s=window.document.styleSheets;return d.rel="stylesheet",d.href=e,d.media="only x",t&&(d.onload=t),i.parentNode.insertBefore(d,i),d.onloadcssdefined=function(n){for(var o,t=0;t<s.length;t++)s[t].href&&s[t].href.indexOf(e)>-1&&(o=!0);o?n():setTimeout(function(){d.onloadcssdefined(n)})},d.onloadcssdefined(function(){d.media=o||"all"}),d}

        if(getCookie('fonts_cached')){
            loadCSS('https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/fonts-b858ad4bb0.min.css');
            loadCSS('https://netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css');
        }
    </script>
</head>
<body id="top" class="article us-news" data-routename="article" data-taxonomy="us-news">

<!--[if lt IE 10]><p class="browsehappy">You are using an
  <strong>outdated</strong> browser. Please
  <a href="https://browsehappy.com/">upgrade your browser</a> to improve your experience.
</p><![endif]-->
<header class="grid_default" role="banner">
    <div class="js-site-header header-group">
      <div class="slim-white-site-header">
          <div class="container-gutter">
              <div class="container">
                  <div class="row">
                      <div class="col-lg-10">
                          <a class="slim-white-site-header__site-logo inline-block" href="/"><svg viewBox="0 0 166 24" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd">
          <path d="M43.307 2.132l12.616 12.01v-11.247h4.082v20.834l-12.59-12.248v11.563h-4.108v-20.913zM66.59 14.458h3.74c.843.026 2.397.869 2.397 2.634 0 1.817-1.58 2.607-2.502 2.686h-3.635v-5.321zm-4.161 8.56h9.798c2.317 0 5.03-2.265 5.03-5.347 0-3.161-2.054-4.715-3.397-5.347 0 0 2.476-1.396 2.37-4.398-.132-4.03-3.872-5.031-5.189-5.031h-8.612v20.122zm4.135-16.751h3.055c1.028.079 2.265.87 2.265 2.292 0 1.343-.948 2.292-2.186 2.45h-3.134v-4.741zM92.691 7.058c-4.32-2.871-10.167.053-10.535 5.373-.158 6.453 6.216 9.113 10.535 6.321v4.135c-7.638 2.845-14.645-2.529-14.67-10.324.026-6.612 7.322-12.458 14.67-9.535v4.03zM98.047 2.132l12.615 12.01v-11.247h4.083v20.834l-12.59-12.248v11.563h-4.109v-20.913zM120.751 6.399v4.688h6.558v3.556h-6.558v4.82h6.558v3.555h-10.667v-20.122h10.667v3.503h-6.558zM132.313 2.896l5.321 11.8 1.896-4.24-3.556-7.559h4.188l1.317 3.134 1.264-3.134h4.109l-3.398 7.533 1.897 4.267 5.083-11.8h4.504l-9.219 20.912-4.135-8.876-4.109 8.902-9.481-20.939h4.319zM160.442 2.343c.369 0 2.292.105 4.136 1.212v3.925c-1.08-.685-2.503-1.607-3.872-1.607-1.66 0-2.713 1.238-2.713 2.37 0 2.871 8.007 2.608 8.007 8.955 0 2.107-1.502 6.453-6.796 6.453-.105 0-1.738.158-4.583-1.317v-4.372c1.581 1.712 3.556 2.159 4.32 2.159 1.712 0 2.95-1.342 2.95-2.975 0-3.135-7.796-2.555-7.796-8.903 0-3.45 2.95-5.9 6.347-5.9"
                 fill="#000"/>
          <path d="M11.622 8.567l5.466 12.499-11.276-7.721c-2.829-1.873-2.255-5.084-.688-6.498 2.217-1.873 5.35-1.223 6.497 1.72"
                fill="#f47a3f"/>
          <path d="M19.16 5.623l-1.988 13.99-5.657-13.302c-1.223-3.326 1.529-5.504 3.364-5.542 2.102-.229 4.74 1.376 4.281 4.854"
                fill="#ce1041"/>
          <path d="M27.76 6.274l-5.619 13.34-1.797-12.04c-.152-1.834.994-1.873 1.414-2.217l-.65-.268h-1.071c-.114-3.134 2.332-4.51 4.32-4.358 2.141.076 4.548 2.561 3.402 5.542"
                fill="#7d77b8"/>
          <path d="M33.493 13.269l-11.276 7.759 5.313-12.346c1.606-3.9 5.352-3.135 6.689-1.644 1.452 1.453 1.873 4.396-.726 6.231"
                fill="#0279b7"/>
          <path d="M34.678 22.404h-13.034l10.587-7.377c2.6-1.72 5.351-.153 6.078 2.102.765 2.522-.956 5.274-3.631 5.274"
                fill="#62bc46"/>
          <path d="M.927 16.976c.994-2.599 3.746-3.517 6.193-1.949l10.588 7.377h-12.843c-2.676 0-4.778-2.446-3.938-5.427"
                fill="#fdb912"/>
      </svg>
      </a>
                          <button class="js-toggle btn btn_alt btn_md btn_site-menu inline-block" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-open", "selector":".dropdown_site-nav", "activeTarget":true}'>Sections<i class="fa fa-chevron-down" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="fa fa-chevron-up" aria-hidden="true"></i></button>
                          <ul class="nav-bar hidden-xs inline-block">
                              <li><a href="/nightly-news"> Nightly News</a></li>
                              <li class="hidden-sm"><a href="http://www.msnbc.com" target="blank">MSNBC</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/meet-the-press"> Meet the Press</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/dateline"> Dateline</a></li>
                              <li class="hidden-sm"><a href="https://www.today.com" target="blank"><span class="today-sun-logo"><img width="20" height="10" alt="TODAY" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/today-logo-site-nav.png"></span>Today</a></li>
                          </ul>
                          <div role="search" class="search site-header-item inline-block">
                              <ul class="nav-bar">
                                  <li><a class="js-toggle search_toggle btn_txt" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/pages/search" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-open", "selector":".search_input", "activeTarget":true, "preventDefault":true}'><i class="fa fa-search" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="fa fa-times" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Search</span></a></li>
                              </ul>
                              <div class="search_input">
                                  <form action="/pages/search/" id="search-form">
                                      <label for="q" id="search_label">
                                          <span class="screen-reader-txt">Search</span>
                                      </label>
                                      <input class="form_control" aria-labelledby="search_label" id="q" required name="q" type="search" placeholder="Search" autofocus/>
                                      <input type="submit" value="Search" class="screen-reader-txt"/>
                                  </form>
                              </div>
                          </div>
                      </div>
                      <div class="visible-lg-block col-lg-2">
                          <ul class="datapoints__share">
                              <li>
                                  <a class="js-sharethis" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Fstoryline%2Fhurricane-harvey%2Fhurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">
                                    <svg version="1.1" x="0" y="0" viewBox="0 0 20 20" enable-background="new 0 0 20 20" xml:space="preserve">
                                      <desc>Share on Facebook</desc>
                                      <path d="M17 1H3C1.9 1 1 1.9 1 3v14c0 1.1 0.9 2 2 2h7v-7H8V9.53h2V7.48c0-2.16 1.21-3.68 3.77-3.68l1.8 0v2.61h-1.2C13.38 6.4 13 7.14 13 7.84v1.69h2.57L15 12h-2v7h4c1.1 0 2-0.9 2-2V3C19 1.9 18.1 1 17 1z"></path>
                                    </svg>
                                  </a>
                              </li>
                              <li>
                                  <a class="js-sharethis" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Hurricane%20Harvey%20Intensifies%20to%20Category%202%20as%20It%20Roars%20Toward%20Texas&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Fstoryline%2Fhurricane-harvey%2Fhurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596&via=nbcnews" target="_blank" title="Tweet">
                                    <svg version="1.1" x="0px" y="0px" viewBox="0 0 20 20" enable-background="new 0 0 20 20" xml:space="preserve">
                                      <desc>Share on Twitter</desc>
                                      <path d="M17.316 6.246c0.008 0.2 0 0.3 0 0.488c0 4.99-3.797 10.742-10.74 10.742c-2.133 0-4.116-0.625-5.787-1.697 c0.296 0 0.6 0.1 0.9 0.053c1.77 0 3.397-0.604 4.688-1.615c-1.651-0.031-3.046-1.121-3.526-2.621 c0.23 0 0.5 0.1 0.7 0.066c0.345 0 0.679-0.045 0.995-0.131c-1.727-0.348-3.028-1.873-3.028-3.703c0-0.016 0-0.031 0-0.047 c0.509 0.3 1.1 0.5 1.7 0.473c-1.013-0.678-1.68-1.832-1.68-3.143c0-0.691 0.186-1.34 0.512-1.898 C3.942 5.5 6.7 7 9.9 7.158C9.798 6.9 9.8 6.6 9.8 6.297c0-2.084 1.689-3.773 3.774-3.773 c1.086 0 2.1 0.5 2.8 1.191c0.859-0.17 1.667-0.484 2.397-0.916c-0.282 0.881-0.881 1.621-1.66 2.1 c0.764-0.092 1.49-0.293 2.168-0.594C18.694 5.1 18.1 5.7 17.3 6.246z"></path>
                                    </svg>
                                  </a>
                              </li>
                              <li>
                                <a href="https://secure.nbcnews.com/_tps/accounts/newsletters"target="_blank" title="Email">
                                  <svg version="1.1" x="0" y="0" viewBox="0 0 20 20" xml:space="preserve">
                                    <desc>Email page link</desc>
                                    <path d="M1.57 5.29c0.49 0.26 7.25 3.89 7.5 4.03C9.33 9.45 9.65 9.51 9.98 9.51c0.33 0 0.65-0.06 0.91-0.2s7.01-3.77 7.5-4.03C18.88 5.02 19.34 4 18.44 4H1.52C0.62 4 1.09 5.02 1.57 5.29zM18.61 7.49c-0.56 0.29-7.39 3.85-7.73 4.03s-0.58 0.2-0.91 0.2 -0.57-0.02-0.91-0.2S1.94 7.78 1.39 7.49C1 7.28 1 7.52 1 7.71S1 15 1 15c0 0.42 0.57 1 1 1h16c0.43 0 1-0.58 1-1 0 0 0-7.11 0-7.29S19 7.29 18.61 7.49z"></path>
                                  </svg>
                                </a>
                              </li>
                          </ul>
                      </div>
                  </div>
              </div>
              <nav class="dropdown dropdown_site-nav" role="navigation" aria-label="Secondary">
                  <h3 class="screen-reader-txt">Secondary Navigation</h3>
                  <div class="container">
                      <div class="row">
                        <div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-4">
                          <div class="dropdown_col">
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Sections</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href='/news/us-news'>U.S.</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/politics">Politics</a></li>
                              <li><a href='/news/world'>World</a></li>
                              <li><a class="js-localaffiliate" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nbc-affiliates-n19981">Local</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/business">Business</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/health">Health</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/investigations">Investigations</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/pop-culture/lifestyle">Lifestyle</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/pop-culture">Pop Culture</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/science">Science</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/tech">Tech</a></li>
                              <li><a href='https://www.nbcsports.com' target="blank">Sports</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/weather">Weather</a></li>
                            </ul>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                        <div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-4 col">
                          <div class="dropdown_col">
                      
                            <h4 class="item-heading">TV</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="/nightly-news">Nightly News</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/meet-the-press">Meet The Press</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/dateline">Dateline</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://today.com/" target="blank">Today</a></li>
                            </ul>
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Featured</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="/think">Think</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/mach">Mach</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/better">Better</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/leftfield">NBC Left Field</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/asian-america">Asian America</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/latino">Latino</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/nbcblk">NBCBLK</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/feature/nbc-out">NBC Out</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/business/your-business">Your Business</a></li>
                            </ul>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                        <div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-4">
                          <div class="dropdown_col">
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Top Ongoing</h4>
                            <ul>
                                <li>
                                  <a data-target="#ongoing-01-section" href="/storyline/winter-olympics-2018">Winter Olympics 2018</a>
                                </li>
                                <li>
                                  <a data-target="#ongoing-02-section" href="/storyline/puerto-rico-crisis">Puerto Rico Crisis</a>
                                </li>
                            </ul>
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Multimedia</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="/video">Video</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/photo">Photo</a></li>
                            </ul>
                            <h4 class="item-heading h3">More From NBC</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="https://nbcsports.com/">Sports</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://cnbc.com/">CNBC</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://www.msnbc.com/">MSNBC.com</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://nbc.com/">NBC.com</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn">NBC Learn</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://recode.net/">Re/Code</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://www.peacockproductions.tv/">Peacock Productions</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://veterans.nbcnews.com/">Next Steps for Vets</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://parenttoolkit.com/">Parent Toolkit</a></li>
                            </ul>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                      </div>
                  </div>
              </nav>
          </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  <noscript>
    <div class="container-gutter">
      <div class="container">
        <div class="row">
          <div class="col-sm-12">
            <div class="align-center alert alert_warning">
              <i class="fa fa-lg fa-exclamation-triangle" aria-hidden="true"></i> NBC News works best with JavaScript turned on
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </noscript>
</header>
<main class="site-content" role="main">
  <a id='js-feedback-btn' class="feedback" href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZRY6QHK" target='blank'><i class="fa fa-comment"></i> Feedback</a>
  <div class="ad-container align-center ad-hide">
  <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
  	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
  </div>
  <div class="ad-content ad-sm ad-md ad-lg topbanner ad-content_row" data-placement="topbanner"></div>
</div>
<div class="ad-container ad-hide">
  <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
  	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
  </div>
  <div class="ad-content ad-lg ad-min interstitial ad-content_row" data-placement="interstitial"></div>
</div>
<div class="grid_article">
  <div class="container">
    <div class="panel-group_header">
      <div class="row">
        <div class="col-sm-12">
          <div class="panel-group_heading">
              <div class="breadcrumb_container">
                <a class="breadcrumb" href="/storyline">Storyline</a>
                <i class="fa fa-angle-right"></i>
                  <div class="item-heading item-heading_group item-heading_group-lg item-heading_breadcrumb">
                      <a href="/storyline/hurricane-harvey">U.S. news</a>
                  </div>
              </div>

          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="grid_article">
  <article id="795596" class="article_entry" data-url="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596" data-articletype='post' data-next='' data-mpscat='storyline|hurricane-harvey|article' data-mpspath='/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596' data-mpssectionlist='news' data-mpsstorylinelist='hurricane-harvey' data-mpstype='post' data-videodata='{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;news&quot;,&quot;topic&quot;:&quot;weather&quot;}' >




        <div class="article_capsule">
          <div class="container">
            <div class="ad-container ad-hide">
              <div class="ad-content ad-xs mobileinterstitial ad-content_row" data-placement="mobileinterstitial"></div>
            </div>
            <header class="row_article article-header article_max">
              <div class="article-flags">
                <div class="article-flags_container">
                  <div class="flag_article-wrapper">
                <a class="flag flag_article-section" href="/news">News</a>
              </div>
                 <div class="flag_article-wrapper">
                  <a class="flag flag_storyline flag_article-section" href="/storyline/hurricane-harvey">U.S. news</a>
                </div>
               
              
                  <div class="flag_article-wrapper flag_article-wrapper-last">
                      <time class="timestamp_article" datetime="2017-08-25T13:45:00.000Z">Aug 25 2017, 9:45 am ET</time>
                  </div>
                </div>
              </div>
              <div class="article-hed">
                <h1>Hurricane Harvey Intensifies to Category 2 as It Roars Toward Texas</h1>
                  <p class="byline_article">
                <span class="byline">
                  <span class="lowercase">by</span> <span class="byline_author">Daniella Silva</span>        <span class="lowercase">and</span> <span class="byline_author">Daniel Arkin</span></span>
                </p>
              </div>
            </header>
          </div>
          <div class="container">
            <div class="row_article article_main-container">
              <div class="js-share article_share article_max" aria-label="tools" role="group">
                <ul class="js-sticky social-list social-list_article">
                  <li>
                    <span class="article_meta-title article_meta-title-sm social-list_article-title">Share</span>
                  </li>
                  <li>
                    <a class="js-sharearticle facebook" target='_blank' href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://nbcnews.to/2xytUAD">
                      <i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Share</span>
                    </a></li>
                  <li>
                    <a class="js-sharearticle twitter" target='_blank' href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Hurricane%20Harvey%20strengthens%20to%20Category%202%20as%20it%20approaches%20Texas&url=http://nbcnews.to/2xytUAD&via=nbcnews">
                      <i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Tweet</span>
                    </a></li>
                      <li>
                          <a class="newsvine-comment j_social_seed" style="display: none;" target='_blank' href="https://www.newsvine.com/_api/discuss?u=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596&h=Hurricane%20Harvey%20Intensifies%20to%20Category%202%20as%20It%20Roars%20Toward%20Texas&t=news&cid=">
                              <svg width="24px" height="16px" viewBox="0 0 44 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
                                  <g id="newsvine-seed-icon" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd">
                                      <g id="newsvine-logo" fill="#116600">
                                          <g id="newsvine-seed">
                                              <g>
                                                  <path d="M37.58,0.017 L6.412,0.017 C2.871,0.017 0,2.888 0,6.429 L0,52.594 C0,56.135 2.871,59.005 6.412,59.005 L21.046,59.005 L21.046,47.494 L14.54,42.938 C13.82,43.343 12.998,43.499 12.178,43.352 C11.246,43.185 10.436,42.664 9.896,41.884 C9.354,41.107 9.149,40.161 9.316,39.229 C9.484,38.296 10.006,37.483 10.785,36.944 C11.566,36.403 12.508,36.197 13.439,36.369 C14.369,36.536 15.183,37.055 15.723,37.833 C16.14,38.433 16.359,39.134 16.359,39.853 C16.359,40.048 16.338,40.244 16.307,40.442 L21.046,43.761 L21.046,33.068 L14.537,28.511 C13.82,28.917 12.998,29.072 12.178,28.919 C11.246,28.752 10.436,28.234 9.896,27.456 C9.354,26.677 9.149,25.732 9.316,24.798 C9.664,22.874 11.518,21.589 13.439,21.939 C15.351,22.286 16.625,24.109 16.307,26.016 L21.046,29.334 L21.046,19.324 L14.54,14.765 C13.82,15.171 12.998,15.329 12.178,15.179 C10.252,14.831 8.969,12.981 9.316,11.055 C9.664,9.13 11.518,7.846 13.439,8.199 C14.369,8.363 15.183,8.886 15.723,9.663 C16.14,10.264 16.359,10.965 16.359,11.681 C16.359,11.876 16.338,12.073 16.307,12.268 L21.046,15.591 L21.046,6.316 L24.103,6.316 L24.103,22.728 L28.768,19.458 C28.615,18.54 28.82,17.616 29.347,16.849 C29.889,16.074 30.703,15.551 31.633,15.386 C33.559,15.039 35.408,16.324 35.756,18.247 C36.105,20.171 34.822,22.021 32.895,22.37 C32.074,22.517 31.248,22.359 30.532,21.953 L24.103,26.46 L24.103,36.471 L28.765,33.204 C28.445,31.295 29.725,29.472 31.633,29.127 C33.559,28.78 35.408,30.068 35.756,31.992 C35.926,32.921 35.719,33.866 35.18,34.643 C34.637,35.423 33.826,35.944 32.895,36.112 C32.047,36.265 31.215,36.101 30.519,35.707 L24.103,40.204 L24.103,50.896 L28.768,47.627 C28.734,47.432 28.713,47.238 28.713,47.048 C28.713,45.367 29.92,43.867 31.633,43.558 C32.564,43.388 33.506,43.589 34.283,44.13 C35.066,44.674 35.588,45.482 35.758,46.417 C36.102,48.343 34.82,50.19 32.896,50.54 C32.074,50.689 31.248,50.532 30.529,50.126 L24.103,54.63 L24.103,59.005 L37.58,59.005 C41.121,59.005 43.992,56.135 43.992,52.594 L43.992,6.429 C43.992,2.888 41.121,0.017 37.58,0.017" id="vine"></path>
                                              </g>
                                          </g>
                                      </g>
                                  </g>
                              </svg><span class="social-list_txt">Comment</span>
                          </a></li>
                  <li class="hidden-xs">
                    <a class="js-sharearticle" target="_blank" href="mailto:?subject=Hurricane%20Harvey%20Intensifies%20to%20Category%202%20as%20It%20Roars%20Toward%20Texas%20on%20NBCNews.com&body=From%20NBCNews.com... %0D%0A%0D%0A%20Hurricane%20Harvey%20Intensifies%20to%20Category%202%20as%20It%20Roars%20Toward%20Texas%0D%0Ahttps://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596?cid=eml_onsite
              ">
                      <i class="fa fa-envelope-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Email</span>
                    </a></li>
                  <li class="hidden-xs">
                    <button class="js-sharearticle print">
                      <i class="fa fa-print" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Print</span>
                    </button>
                  </li>
                </ul>
              </div>
              <div class="article_col-main article_col-main-left article_main">
                <div class="article-body">
                      <p> Thousands of people fled Texas early Friday as Hurricane Harvey, a life-threatening Category 2 storm, gained strength and hurtled toward the coast. </p>
                      <p> Homeowners, businesses and government officials were scrambling to prepare for the potentially devastating storm, which forecasters said could lash the state with ferocious 125-mph winds and 12-foot storm surges. </p>
                    <hr />
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box1">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box1" data-placement="box1"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> <strong>The Latest</strong> </p>
                      <ul> <li>Hurricane Harvey, currently a Category 2 storm, is on track to strengthen to a Category 3 sometime Friday. It is expected make landfall just east of Corpus Christi around 1 a.m. local time Saturday.</li><li>Eight million people are under hurricane warnings, and some 735,000 are under tropical storm warnings.</li> </ul>
                    <hr />
                      <p> The seven Texas counties on the coast have ordered mandatory evacuations of tens of thousands of residents from low-lying areas, according to the Associated Press. The message from state officials was clear: Get out while you can. </p>
                      <p> "A lot of people are taking this storm for granted, thinking it may not pose much of a danger to them," Gov. Greg Abbott told NBC affiliate KPRC in Houston. "Please heed warnings and evacuate as soon as possible." </p>
                      <p> Harvey, driven by warm Gulf of Mexico waters, was expected to make landfall as a Category 3 storm just east of Corpus Christi around 1 a.m. local time Saturday. </p>
                  
                      <div class="js-player-shell" data-playertype="Inline">
                        <div class="widget widget_video widget_trusted">
                            <div class="video-viewport">
                                <div class="intrinsic">
                                    <div class="intrinsic-wrapper ratio-16x9">
                                        <div id="video_mpx_1032271427844_52" class="js-video-placeholder vilynx_enabled" vilynx-id="https://www.today.com/video/hurricane-harvey-barrels-toward-texas-coast-1032271427844" data-mpxid="1032271427844" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%;">
                                          <button id="js-play-video1032271427844_52" class="btn_txt img-overlay img-overlay_lg img-overlay_default img-overlay_middle img-overlay_video">
                                            <i class="fa fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Play</span>
                                          </button>
                                          <picture>
                                            <source media="(max-width: 480px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_gabe_170825.nbcnews-ux-360-200.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 480px) and (max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_gabe_170825.nbcnews-ux-440-240.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 999px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_gabe_170825.nbcnews-ux-800-440.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 1000px) and (max-width: 1229px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_gabe_170825.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 1230px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_gabe_170825.nbcnews-ux-1240-700.jpg" />
                                            <img class="img_tease" src="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_gabe_170825.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg"  title="Hurricane Harvey barrels toward Texas coast">
                                          </picture>
                                        </div>
                                    </div>
                                </div>
                            </div>
                            <ul class="social-list social-list_widget social-list_horizontal">
                                <li><a class="js-sharethis" data-guid="tdy_news_gabe_harvey_170825" data-context="inline-share-bar" target='_blank' href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.today.com%2Fvideo%2Fhurricane-harvey-barrels-toward-texas-coast-1032271427844&t=Hurricane%20Harvey%20barrels%20toward%20Texas%20coast">
                                <i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Facebook</span>
                              </a></li>
                              <li><a class="js-sharethis" data-guid="tdy_news_gabe_harvey_170825" data-context="inline-share-bar" target='_blank' href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Hurricane%20Harvey%20barrels%20toward%20Texas%20coast&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.today.com%2Fvideo%2Fhurricane-harvey-barrels-toward-texas-coast-1032271427844&via=nbcnews">
                                <i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Twitter</span>
                              </a></li>
                              <li class="cursor-pointer">
                                <i class="js-toggle js-toggle-embed fa fa-code" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-hidden hidden-xs", "selector":".form_embed-wrapper1032271427844_52", "activeTarget":true}' aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Embed</span>
                              </li>
                            </ul>
                            <div data-playerid="video_mpx1032271427844_52" id="1032271427844_52" class="js-play-video img-caption img-caption_video img-caption_lg">
                              <i class="fa fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                              <strong><span id="title_video_mpx1032271427844_52">Hurricane Harvey barrels toward Texas coast</span></strong>
                                    <span>2:41</span>
                            </div>
                            <span style="font-size: smaller; color:#696969;" class="js-autoplay-toggle-on pull-right is-hidden">autoplay <i class="fa fa-check-square-o fa-1"></i></span>
                            <span style="font-size: smaller; color:#696969;" class="js-autoplay-toggle-off pull-right is-hidden">autoplay <i class="fa fa-square-o fa-1"></i></span>
                            <div class="js-video-embed form_embed-wrapper form_embed-wrapper1032271427844_52 is-hidden">
                              <form action="/">
                                <div class="form_group">
                                  <label for="embed" class="font-small">Copy this code to your website or blog</label>
                                  <textarea id="embed" name="embed" onclick="this.focus();this.select()" class="form_control form_embed" rows="4" readonly="readonly"><iframe src="https://www.nbcnews.com/widget/video-embed/1032271427844" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></textarea>
                                </div>
                              </form>
                            </div>
                        </div>
                        <script>
                            var playerInstance = {
                              videoObj : {"autoPlay":false,"associatedPlaylistUrl":"http://feed.theplatform.com/f/2E2eJC/nnd_29411569","availabilityState":"expired","canonicalUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/hurricane-harvey-barrels-toward-texas-coast-1032271427844","captionLinks":{"srt":"https://nbcnewsdigital-static.nbcuni.com/snappy/caption/NBC_News/387/767/2017-08-25T11-02-36.4Z--161.4.mp4.srt","web-vtt":"https://nbcnewsdigital-static.nbcuni.com/snappy/caption/NBC_News/387/767/2017-08-25T11-02-36.4Z--161.4.mp4.vtt"},"defaultAssociation":"Today/Sections/News","description":"Millions along the Gulf Coast are bracing for the impact of Hurricane Harvey, now poised to become the most powerful storm to hit the U.S. in over a decade. Mandatory evacuations are now underway in Texas. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports for TODAY from Corpus Christi, Texas.","duration":161,"durationISO":"PT2M41.434S","guid":"tdy_news_gabe_harvey_170825","hasCaption":true,"mezzVersion":1,"mpxId":"1032271427844","nativeVideo":false,"playbackIsDisabled":false,"pubDate":"2017-08-25T11:02:36.000+0000","shortUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/hurricane-harvey-barrels-toward-texas-coast-1032271427844","source":"TODAY","thumbnail":"https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/i/MSNBC/Components/Video/201708/tdy_gabe_170825.jpg","title":"Hurricane Harvey barrels toward Texas coast","video_playlists":[{"id":"mmlsnnd_29411569","label":"News"}],"videoType":"Broadcast","videoAssets":[{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/SnGAD7uZnZOH?mbr=true","width":854,"height":480,"bitRate":1580068,"duration":161,"durationISO":"PT2M41.434S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/0eR5u3c3zSeo?mbr=true","width":426,"height":240,"bitRate":518030,"duration":161,"durationISO":"PT2M41.4S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/K6WSBHvcpj2_?mbr=true","width":1280,"height":720,"bitRate":3277313,"duration":161,"durationISO":"PT2M41.434S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/sqqmwUIi5ERi?mbr=true","width":640,"height":360,"bitRate":935421,"duration":161,"durationISO":"PT2M41.4S"}],"urls":{"canonical":"https://www.today.com/video/hurricane-harvey-barrels-toward-texas-coast-1032271427844","short":"https://www.today.com/video/hurricane-harvey-barrels-toward-texas-coast-1032271427844"},"type":"widget","widget_type":"inline-video"},
                              placeHolderID : 'video_mpx_1032271427844_52',
                              nextPlaylist : [],
                              nextVideoIndex : 0,
                              isLoaded : false
                            };
                        
                            window.NEWS = window.NEWS || { };
                            NEWS.articleHasVideo = true;
                            NEWS.videoInstances = NEWS.videoInstances || [];
                            NEWS.videoInstances.push(playerInstance);
                        </script>
                      </div>
                      <p> No storm that strong has hit Texas since 2008. The last Category 3 storm to pummel the U.S. was Hurricane Wilma in October 2005 in Florida. </p>
                      <p> In its 5 a.m. ET update, the National Hurricane Center warned Harvey was "dangerously approaching" the Texas coast. The storm had picked up more power as it reached about 180 miles southeast of Corpus Christi, with maximum sustained winds strengthening to 105 mph, according to the agency. </p>
                      <p> It warned that "life-threatening and devastating flooding" was expected near the coast because of heavy rain and storm surge. </p>
                    <figure class="img_full">
                      <noscript><img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2131996/170824-hurricane-harvey-prep-ac-852p_fb2e98764d5518ff20cc5937bd2827d2.nbcnews-fp-360-360.jpg" alt="Image: Hurricane Harvey Preparations" title="Image: Hurricane Harvey Preparations" /></noscript>
                      <a href="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2131996/170824-hurricane-harvey-prep-ac-852p_fb2e98764d5518ff20cc5937bd2827d2.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg" class="js-lightbox lightbox_link">
                        <button class="btn btn_overlay"><i class="fa fa-expand"></i></button>
                        <img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2131996/170824-hurricane-harvey-prep-ac-852p_fb2e98764d5518ff20cc5937bd2827d2.nbcnews-ux-1024-900.jpg" alt="Image: Hurricane Harvey Preparations" title="Image: Hurricane Harvey Preparations"/>
                      </a>
                      <div class="js-caption_wrapper">
                        <figcaption class="img-caption img-caption_default no-margin-bottom"><span class="img-caption_txt">&#x27;Be Nice Harvey&#x27; adorns a boarded-up business Thursday in Port Aransas, Texas.</span> <i class="fa fa-camera" aria-hidden="true"></i>Eric Gay / AP</figcaption>
                      </div>
                    </figure>
                  
                      <p> "Harvey is expected to become a major hurricane before it reaches the middle Texas coast," it added. </p>
                      <p> Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb said no mandatory evacuations were in effect, but he urged residents in low-lying parts of the coastal city to leave. </p>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box2">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box2" data-placement="box2"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> "We are going to in the strongest possible terms encourage the residents in the low-lying areas, as they say, to get out of Dodge," McComb said at a news conference. </p>
                      <p> At least 10 critically ill babies were flown Thursday from Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi to Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, more than 400 miles north, to ride out the storm, <a href="http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/10-Newborns-Evacuated-From-Texas-Coast-Flown-To-Fort-Worth--441694133.html">NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported</a>. </p>
                      <p> "They made a wise decision to get them out as quickly as possible," said Debbie Boudreaux, Cook's director of transport and fleet services. "The problem keeping them there is the ventilation system they're on — the lifesaving ventilator — would not be able to be maintained without electricity." </p>
                      <p> In the town of Rockport, about 20 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, 90 elderly and fragile people were evacuated Thursday night from the Park Manor skilled nursing facility to its sister facility in Bee Cave, near Austin. </p>
                  
                      <div class="js-player-shell" data-playertype="Inline">
                        <div class="widget widget_video widget_trusted">
                            <div class="video-viewport">
                                <div class="intrinsic">
                                    <div class="intrinsic-wrapper ratio-16x9">
                                        <div id="video_mpx_1032289347506_52" class="js-video-placeholder vilynx_enabled" vilynx-id="http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-to-category-2-storm-1032287299648" data-mpxid="1032289347506" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%;">
                                          <button id="js-play-video1032289347506_52" class="btn_txt img-overlay img-overlay_lg img-overlay_default img-overlay_middle img-overlay_video">
                                            <i class="fa fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Play</span>
                                          </button>
                                          <picture>
                                            <source media="(max-width: 480px)" srcset="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-25t11-19-46-6z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-360-200.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 480px) and (max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-25t11-19-46-6z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-440-240.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 999px)" srcset="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-25t11-19-46-6z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-800-440.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 1000px) and (max-width: 1229px)" srcset="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-25t11-19-46-6z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 1230px)" srcset="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-25t11-19-46-6z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-1240-700.jpg" />
                                            <img class="img_tease" src="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-25t11-19-46-6z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg"  title="Hurricane Harvey intensifies to Category 2 storm">
                                          </picture>
                                        </div>
                                    </div>
                                </div>
                            </div>
                            <ul class="social-list social-list_widget social-list_horizontal">
                                <li><a class="js-sharethis" data-guid="n_mj_harvey_170825" data-context="inline-share-bar" target='_blank' href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msnbc.com%2Fmorning-joe%2Fwatch%2Fhurricane-harvey-intensifies-to-category-2-storm-1032287299648&t=Hurricane%20Harvey%20intensifies%20to%20Category%202%20storm">
                                <i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Facebook</span>
                              </a></li>
                              <li><a class="js-sharethis" data-guid="n_mj_harvey_170825" data-context="inline-share-bar" target='_blank' href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Hurricane%20Harvey%20intensifies%20to%20Category%202%20storm&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msnbc.com%2Fmorning-joe%2Fwatch%2Fhurricane-harvey-intensifies-to-category-2-storm-1032287299648&via=nbcnews">
                                <i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Twitter</span>
                              </a></li>
                              <li class="cursor-pointer">
                                <i class="js-toggle js-toggle-embed fa fa-code" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-hidden hidden-xs", "selector":".form_embed-wrapper1032289347506_52", "activeTarget":true}' aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Embed</span>
                              </li>
                            </ul>
                            <div data-playerid="video_mpx1032289347506_52" id="1032289347506_52" class="js-play-video img-caption img-caption_video img-caption_lg">
                              <i class="fa fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                              <strong><span id="title_video_mpx1032289347506_52">Hurricane Harvey intensifies to Category 2 storm</span></strong>
                                    <span>3:55</span>
                            </div>
                            <span style="font-size: smaller; color:#696969;" class="js-autoplay-toggle-on pull-right is-hidden">autoplay <i class="fa fa-check-square-o fa-1"></i></span>
                            <span style="font-size: smaller; color:#696969;" class="js-autoplay-toggle-off pull-right is-hidden">autoplay <i class="fa fa-square-o fa-1"></i></span>
                            <div class="js-video-embed form_embed-wrapper form_embed-wrapper1032289347506_52 is-hidden">
                              <form action="/">
                                <div class="form_group">
                                  <label for="embed" class="font-small">Copy this code to your website or blog</label>
                                  <textarea id="embed" name="embed" onclick="this.focus();this.select()" class="form_control form_embed" rows="4" readonly="readonly"><iframe src="https://www.nbcnews.com/widget/video-embed/1032289347506" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></textarea>
                                </div>
                              </form>
                            </div>
                        </div>
                        <script>
                            var playerInstance = {
                              videoObj : {"autoPlay":false,"availabilityState":"available","canonicalUrl":"http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-to-category-2-storm-1032287299648","captionLinks":{"srt":"https://nbcnewsdigital-static.nbcuni.com/snappy/caption/MSNBC/402/907/2017-08-25T11-19-35.9Z--235.067.mp4.srt","web-vtt":"https://nbcnewsdigital-static.nbcuni.com/snappy/caption/MSNBC/402/907/2017-08-25T11-19-35.9Z--235.067.mp4.vtt"},"description":"Meteorologist Bill Karins has the latest updates on Hurricane Harvey, which is set to make landfall in Texas on Saturday morning. It has sustained winds of 120 MPH.","duration":235,"durationISO":"PT3M55.1S","guid":"n_mj_harvey_170825","hasCaption":true,"mezzVersion":1,"mpxId":"1032289347506","nativeVideo":false,"playbackIsDisabled":false,"pubDate":"2017-08-25T11:19:35.000+0000","shortUrl":"http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-to-category-2-storm-1032287299648","source":"Morning Joe","thumbnail":"https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/i/MSNBC/Components/Video/201708/2017-08-25T11-19-46-6Z--1280x720.jpg","title":"Hurricane Harvey intensifies to Category 2 storm","video_playlists":[{}],"videoType":"Broadcast","videoAssets":[{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/1o9HqB6ggN96?mbr=true","width":1280,"height":720,"bitRate":3063815,"duration":235,"durationISO":"PT3M55.1S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/4NrtGoj9hNyP?mbr=true","width":426,"height":240,"bitRate":498114,"duration":235,"durationISO":"PT3M55.067S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/Ac43SLMDYgb0?mbr=true","width":640,"height":360,"bitRate":890240,"duration":235,"durationISO":"PT3M55.067S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/709tkmwrVaM0?mbr=true","width":854,"height":480,"bitRate":1485680,"duration":235,"durationISO":"PT3M55.1S"}],"urls":{"canonical":"http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-to-category-2-storm-1032287299648","short":"http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-to-category-2-storm-1032287299648"},"type":"widget","widget_type":"inline-video"},
                              placeHolderID : 'video_mpx_1032289347506_52',
                              nextPlaylist : [],
                              nextVideoIndex : 0,
                              isLoaded : false
                            };
                        
                            window.NEWS = window.NEWS || { };
                            NEWS.articleHasVideo = true;
                            NEWS.videoInstances = NEWS.videoInstances || [];
                            NEWS.videoInstances.push(playerInstance);
                        </script>
                      </div>
                      <p> Johnielle Johnson, the Bee Cave facility's director of nursing, told <a href="http://kxan.com/2017/08/24/fleeing-harvey-90-rockport-elderly-evacuated-to-bee-cave-nursing-facility/">NBC affiliate KXAN</a> of Austin that a therapy gym was being turned into living space for 14 of the evacuees, while the rest will double up in rooms occupied by current residents. </p>
                      <p> "Life is unpredictable, but what is predictable is how we treat others," Johnson said. </p>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box3">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box3" data-placement="box3"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated more than 700 members of the Texas Army and Air National Guards, the Texas State Guard and the Texas Military Department. </p>
                      <p> "This is what we train for," Brig. Gen. Patrick Hamilton, commander of the Domestic Operations Task Force, told <a href="https://www.click2houston.com/news/more-than-700-troops-depoyed-to-assist-with-harvey-threat">NBC affiliate KPRC</a> of Houston. "This is Texans helping Texans — neighbors helping neighbors." </p>
                    <figure class="img_full">
                      <noscript><img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2132206/ap_17236760738512_2_5637c7d1776970d0435e5f459c9bb883.nbcnews-fp-360-360.jpg" alt="Image: Corpus Christi residents fill sand bags" title="Image: Corpus Christi residents fill sand bags" /></noscript>
                      <a href="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2132206/ap_17236760738512_2_5637c7d1776970d0435e5f459c9bb883.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg" class="js-lightbox lightbox_link">
                        <button class="btn btn_overlay"><i class="fa fa-expand"></i></button>
                        <img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2132206/ap_17236760738512_2_5637c7d1776970d0435e5f459c9bb883.nbcnews-ux-1024-900.jpg" alt="Image: Corpus Christi residents fill sand bags" title="Image: Corpus Christi residents fill sand bags"/>
                      </a>
                      <div class="js-caption_wrapper">
                        <figcaption class="img-caption img-caption_default no-margin-bottom"><span class="img-caption_txt">Corpus Christi residents fill sand bags as they prepare for Hurricane Harvey on Thursday.</span> <i class="fa fa-camera" aria-hidden="true"></i>Eric Gay / AP</figcaption>
                      </div>
                    </figure>
                  
                      <p> Dale Eck, head forecast operations for the Americas at The Weather Channel, said Harvey rapidly intensified overnight into Thursday. "I think the urgency of this just went up tenfold this morning," he said Thursday. </p>
                      <p> Eck said winds of 115 mph were expected, along with a "life-threatening storm surge" as it churns over the central Texas coast. </p>
                      <p> <strong>Related: <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hurricane-harvey-rainfall-poses-serious-danger-ill-prepared-new-orleans-n795611">Hurricane Harvey Rainfall Poses Danger to Ill-Prepared New Orleans</a></strong> </p>
                      <p> As of Thursday night, the <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/242359.shtml">National Hurricane Center had issued storm surge warnings</a> from Port Mansfield to High Island in Texas, with storm surge watches in effect for south of Port Mansfield to the mouth of the Rio Grande and hurricane warnings in effect from Port Mansfield to Sargent. </p>
                  
                      <div class="widget widget-fb">
                        <div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/NOAAHurricaneHunters/videos/10155347813460081/" data-width="350"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NOAAHurricaneHunters/videos/10155347813460081/">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nbcnews">NBC News</a>.</div></div>
                      </div>
                      <p> The hurricane center said Thursday evening that up to 35 inches of rain was possible over southeast Texas through Wednesday. It warned Texans to get ready for Harvey now, as winds could be too strong for preparations on Friday. </p>
                      <p> Eck said that the storm could potentially be a "huge challenge" for emergency management officials and that evacuations could be expected. </p>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box4">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box4" data-placement="box4"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> "This thing is rapidly increasing in such a way that it could be devastating for anyone along the coast," he said. "The challenge is how far do you go if you can go inland? You could go to San Antonio, and you could have flooding there from the copious amounts of rain." </p>
                    <figure class="img_half">
                      <noscript><img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2131431/170824-noaa-texas-gulf-storm-harvey-njs-1105a_cfe6824a843278e082782d095a130cf9.nbcnews-fp-360-360.jpg" alt="Image: Hurricane Harvey" title="Image: Hurricane Harvey" /></noscript>
                      <a href="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2131431/170824-noaa-texas-gulf-storm-harvey-njs-1105a_cfe6824a843278e082782d095a130cf9.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg" class="js-lightbox lightbox_link">
                        <button class="btn btn_overlay"><i class="fa fa-expand"></i></button>
                        <img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2131431/170824-noaa-texas-gulf-storm-harvey-njs-1105a_cfe6824a843278e082782d095a130cf9.nbcnews-ux-1024-900.jpg" alt="Image: Hurricane Harvey" title="Image: Hurricane Harvey"/>
                      </a>
                      <div class="js-caption_wrapper">
                        <figcaption class="img-caption img-caption_default no-margin-bottom"><span class="img-caption_txt">Hurricane Harvey approaching the Texas Gulf Coast on Thursday.</span> <i class="fa fa-camera" aria-hidden="true"></i>NOAA via Reuters</figcaption>
                      </div>
                    </figure>
                  
                      <p> Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert briefed President Donald Trump on the hurricane's progress and preparations for its landing, a national security official said Thursday afternoon. </p>
                      <p> Bossert has been in contact with the acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke and Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other federal partners were prepared to assist state and local responders as needed, the official said. </p>
                      <p> <strong>Related: <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/gas-prices-rise-hurricane-harvey-catches-oil-companies-surprise-n795751">Gas Prices Rise as Hurricane Harvey Catches Oil Companies by Surprise</a></strong> </p>
                      <p> Abbott on Wednesday declared a state of disaster in 30 counties. Mandatory evacuations were ordered in Texas for the cities of Aransas Pass and Portland and the counties of San Patricio and Brazoria. Authorities in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, meanwhile, ordered mandatory evacuations for areas south of the Intracoastal Water Way effective at 6 a.m. local time. </p>
                      <p> Abbott ordered the Texas State Operations Center to elevate its readiness level and made state resources available for preparation and rescue and recovery efforts. </p>
                    <figure class="img_full">
                      <noscript><img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2132196/838663090_e177ce8ca8f8f8e328828ca461c8340d.nbcnews-fp-360-360.jpg" alt="Image: Texas Gulf Coast Braces For Hurricane Harvey" title="Image: Texas Gulf Coast Braces For Hurricane Harvey" /></noscript>
                      <a href="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2132196/838663090_e177ce8ca8f8f8e328828ca461c8340d.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg" class="js-lightbox lightbox_link">
                        <button class="btn btn_overlay"><i class="fa fa-expand"></i></button>
                        <img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_34/2132196/838663090_e177ce8ca8f8f8e328828ca461c8340d.nbcnews-ux-1024-900.jpg" alt="Image: Texas Gulf Coast Braces For Hurricane Harvey" title="Image: Texas Gulf Coast Braces For Hurricane Harvey"/>
                      </a>
                      <div class="js-caption_wrapper">
                        <figcaption class="img-caption img-caption_default no-margin-bottom"><span class="img-caption_txt">The bread section of a Walmart store is empty as people prepare for the possible arrival of Hurricane Harvey on August 24, 2017 in Houston, Texas.</span> <i class="fa fa-camera" aria-hidden="true"></i>Joe Raedle / Getty Images</figcaption>
                      </div>
                    </figure>
                  
                      <p>    </p>
                </div>
              </div>
              <div class="article_meta article_share-md-gutter article_max">
                <div class="js-bottom-limit article_meta-container">
                    <div class="author_container">
                      <div class="author">
                        <div class="author_name">Daniella Silva</div>
                          <ul class="social-list social-list_author">
                              <li><a href="https://twitter.com/DaniellaLSilva" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Twitter</span></a></li>
                              <li><a href="mailto:daniella.silva@nbcuni.com"><i class="fa fa-envelope-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Email</span></a></li>
                          </ul>
                      </div>
                    </div>
                    <div class="author_container">
                      <div class="author">
                          <div class="img_bio-container">
                            <img class="js-lazy img_bio" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" data-original="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2016_40/1740466/0bbb43c_76eeae639f602a6405e87c6a5c740c52.nbcnews-fp-320-320.jpg" alt="Daniel Arkin"/>
                          </div>
                        <div class="author_name">Daniel Arkin</div>
                          <ul class="social-list social-list_author">
                              <li><a href="https://twitter.com/@d_arkin" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Twitter</span></a></li>
                              <li><a href="mailto:daniel.arkin@nbcuni.com"><i class="fa fa-envelope-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Email</span></a></li>
                          </ul>
                      </div>
                    </div>
                    <div class="article_contributor">
                      <span class="article_meta-title">
                        Contributors
                      </span>
                  <span>Alex Johnson</span>      <span class="lowercase">and</span> <span>Peter Alexander</span>  </div>
                  
                  <div class="flag_article-meta">
                    <span class="article_meta-title article_meta-title-sm">
                      Topics
                    </span>
                    <a class="flag flag_article-topic" href="/news">News</a>, <a class="flag flag_article-topic" href="/news/weather">Weather</a>, <a class="flag flag_article-topic" href="/news/us-news">U.S. news</a></div>
                    <div class="timestamp_meta">
                      <span class="article_meta-title article_meta-title-sm">First Published</span> <time class="timestamp_article" datetime="2017-08-24T17:24:51.000Z">Aug 24 2017, 1:24 pm ET</time>
                
                
                    </div>
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
            <div class="row_article article-footer_container article_max">
              <div class="article-nav article_share-md-gutter">
                  <div class="article-nav_container">
                    <span class="article_meta-title"><i class="fa fa-arrow-down" aria-hidden="true"></i> Next Story</span>
                    <a id="next-story_795596" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-hit-texans-still-struggle-recovery-amid-housing-challenges-n833291">Harvey-hit Texans still struggle with recovery amid housing challenges</a>
                  </div>
              </div>
              <div class="article_col-main article_col-main-left article-footer article_share-md-gutter">
                      <div class="ad-container ad-xs ad-sm ad-md ad-lg taboolabelow ad-hide"></div>
                
              </div>
            </div>
            <div class="rail rail_article">
              <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-hide ad-container-boxflex">
              <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
              	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
              </div>
              <div class="ad-content ad-sm ad-md ad-lg boxflex" data-placement="boxflex"></div>
              </div>
                  <div class="ad-container ad-sm ad-md ad-lg xfinityrail ad-hide" data-iframesrc="/pages/ads/xfinity/rightrail.html">
                    <iframe class="ad-revpanel_iframe ad-revpanel_xfinity-rail" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
                  </div>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-sm ad-md ad-lg taboolarail ad-hide"></div>
              <div class="ad-break-rightrail ad-hide"></div>
              <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-desktoptemplate ad-hide">
              <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
              	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
              </div>
              <div class="ad-content ad-sm ad-md ad-lg" data-placement=""></div>
              </div>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-sm ad-md ad-lg perfectmarket ad-hide" data-iframesrc="/pages/ads/perfectmarket/rightrail.html?csrc=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596">
                      <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                      	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                      </div>
                      <iframe class="ad-revpanel_iframe ad-revpanel_perfectmarket-rail" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
                    </div>
              
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>

    <script>

      // Note: this loads inside the article body
      if (typeof articleApp !== 'undefined') { // only execute after pageload
        articleApp.hasLoadedAjaxArticle = true;
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas","page":"article","section":"news","topic":"us-news","byline":"Daniella Silva","externalId":"795596","contentType":"post","entryId":"795596","headline":"Hurricane Harvey Intensifies to Category 2 as It Roars Toward Texas","summary":"Forecasters say 115-mph winds are expected, along with \"life-threatening\" storm surges and flooding, as Harvey churns over the central coast of Texas.","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596","createdDate":"2017-08-24 17:24:51 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-25 13:45:00 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-25 14:23:23 Z","videoCount":2,"channelSection":"news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"}; // adds Analytics data so it can be used for analyticsDataLayerHistory
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.externalId = '795596'; // articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.headline = "";
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.canonical_url = 'https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596';
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.type = 'post';
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.sectionTopic = '/storyline/hurricane-harvey';

        // re-init value for DTM
        window.analyticsDataLayer = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas","page":"article","section":"news","topic":"us-news","byline":"Daniella Silva","externalId":"795596","contentType":"post","entryId":"795596","headline":"Hurricane Harvey Intensifies to Category 2 as It Roars Toward Texas","summary":"Forecasters say 115-mph winds are expected, along with \"life-threatening\" storm surges and flooding, as Harvey churns over the central coast of Texas.","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596","createdDate":"2017-08-24 17:24:51 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-25 13:45:00 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-25 14:23:23 Z","videoCount":2,"channelSection":"news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"};
        articleApp.analyticsDataLayerHistory.push(articleApp.lastAjaxArticle);
        window.analyticsDataLayer.sectionTopic = '/storyline/hurricane-harvey';

        window.videoAnalyticsDataLayer.channelSection = analyticsDataLayer.channelSection;

        $(function () {
          articleApp.articleViewBindings(true, '795596');
        });
      }
    </script>
  </article>
</div>


</main>
<footer class="site-footer" role="contentinfo">
  <div class="grid_default">
    <div class="container-gutter">
      <div class="container">
        <div class="row">
          <div class="col-xs-12">
            <ul class="nav-bar nav-bar_sm nav-bar_alt">
              <li><a href="/pages/about-nbc-news-digital">About Us</a></li>
              <li><a href="/pages/careers">Careers</a></li>
              <li><a href="/pages/contact-us">Contact</a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="https://www.nbcuniversal.com/privacy/full-privacy-policy/">Privacy Policy</a></li>
              <li>
                <a href="/pages/terms-of-service">Terms of Service
                </a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="/pages/sitemap">nbcnews.com Site Map</a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/">Advertise</a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="https://info.evidon.com/pub_info/1195?v=1">AdChoices</a>
              </li>
              <li class="legal">&copy; 2018 NBCnews.com</li>
            </ul>
          </div>
        </div>
        <div class="row">
          <div class="col-xs-12">
            <ul class="nav-bar nav-bar_brand">
              <li class="brand-cnbc">
                <a href="https://cnbc.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/non-rev/footer-logo-cnbc.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="CNBC"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-msnbc">
                <a href="http://msnbc.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/nbcnews-assets/footer-logo-msnbc-upper.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="msnbc"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-nbcnews">
                <a href="https://nbcnews.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/non-rev/footer-logo-nbcnews.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="NBC NEWS"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-today">
                <a href="https://www.today.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/nbcnews-assets/footer-logo-today-jul15.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="TODAY"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-xfinity">
                <a href="https://xfinity.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/non-rev/footer-logo-xfinity.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="xfinity"/>
                </a>
              </li>
            </ul>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</footer>

<!-- Dynamic Yield Code -->
<script type="text/javascript">
    DY = {scsec : 8765428 ,API: function(){(DY.API.actions = DY.API.actions || []).push(arguments)}};
</script>
<script async type="text/javascript" src="//cdn.dynamicyield.com/api/8765428/api_dynamic.js"></script>
<script async type="text/javascript" src="//cdn.dynamicyield.com/api/8765428/api_static.js"></script>

<script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/vendor/e13156bf.modernizr.js"></script>

  <script type="text/javascript">
    var screenWidth = {'small': 768, 'medium':1000, 'large':1230}
  
    var mpsapp = {
      currentBreakpoint: "",
      breakpointSizes: {'xs':'xs', 'sm':'sm', 'md':'md', 'lg':'lg'},
      init: function(){
        this.currentBreakpoint = this.getBreakpoint();
        this.isPixelmanEnabled = this.getPixelmanEnabled();
      },
      getBreakpoint: function(){
        var width = document.documentElement.clientWidth;
  
        if(width < screenWidth.small) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.xs;
        }
        else if(width >= screenWidth.small && width < screenWidth.medium) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.sm;
        }
        else if(width >= screenWidth.medium && width < screenWidth.large) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.md;
        }
        else if(width >= screenWidth.large) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.lg;
        }
        return this.breakpointSizes.lg;
      },
      isPixelmanEnabled: false,
      getPixelmanEnabled: function(){
        if (this.currentBreakpoint === this.breakpointSizes.lg || this.currentBreakpoint === this.breakpointSizes.md){
          return true;
        }
        return false;
      }
    }
    mpsapp.init();
  
    var ads = {
      site: 'nbcnews.com',
      mpscall: {
        site: 'nbcnews-web',
        path: '/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596',
        cat: 'storyline|hurricane-harvey|article',
        type: 'post',
        articleIndex: 1,
      },
      videoPlayer: {
        freewheelValue: 'nbcnews_fallbacksitesection',
        sect:'',
        topic:'',
        show:'',
        storyline:'',
        feature:''
      },
        videoData: {
          section: 'news',
          topic:'weather',
          show:'',
          storyline:'',
          feature:''
        },
        storylineList: 'hurricane-harvey',
        sectionList: 'news',
      init: function(){
  
      },
      getFreewheelSiteSection: function(){
        return ((_site && !_site.isMobile) ? 'nbcnews_allos_web_ondemand' : 'nbcnews_mobile_allos_web_ondemand');
      },
      getFreewheelSection: function(){
        if(mps && mps.pagevars){
          return mps.pagevars.freewheel_section
        }
        return 'nbcnews_fallbacksitesection';
      },
      getVideoPlayerConfig: function(){
  
        if (mps && mps.pagevars){
          this.videoPlayer.freewheelValue = mps.pagevars.freewheel_section;
  
          if(mps.pagevars.cats){
            var mpsSection = mps.pagevars.cats[0];
            this.videoPlayer.sect = mpsSection;
            this.videoPlayer.show = mpsSection;
          }
        }
  
        return this.videoPlayer;
      }
    }
    ads.init();
  
  </script>
  
  <script type="text/javascript">
    var mpsopts = {'host':'mps.nbcnews.com'};
    mpsopts.isHostStage = function(){
      if (window.location.href.indexOf('prodads=true') > -1 || window.location.host.indexOf('sys02') === 0){return false;}
      if (window.location.href.indexOf('stageads=true') > -1 || window.location.host.indexOf('sys') === 0 || window.location.host.indexOf('local.nbcnews.com:9001') === 0  || window.location.host.indexOf('nbcnews.com') === -1){return true;}
      return false;
    };
    if (mpsopts.isHostStage()) {mpsopts.host = 'stage.mps.nbcnews.com';}
    var mpscall = {};
    mpscall.site = ads.mpscall.site;
    mpscall.path = ads.mpscall.path;
    mpscall.cat = ads.mpscall.cat;
    mpscall.type = ads.mpscall.type;
    mpscall['cag[entryno]'] = ads.mpscall.articleIndex;
  
    if (ads.sectionList){
      mpscall['cag[sections]'] = ads.sectionList;
    }
  
    if(ads.storylineList){
      mpscall['cag[storylines]'] = ads.storylineList;
    }
  
    if (ads.noAds){
      mpscall['cag[noads]'] =  ads.noAds;
    }
  
    var mps = mps || {};
    document.write('<scr'+'ipt id="mps-ext-load" src="//'+mpsopts.host+'/fetch/ext/load-'+mpscall.site+'.js"></scr'+'ipt>');
  </script>

<script>
  function viewport() {
    var e = window, t = "inner";
    if (!("innerWidth"in window)) {
      t = "client";
      e = document.documentElement || document.body
    }
    return {width: e[t + "Width"], height: e[t + "Height"]}
  }
</script>
<script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/vendor-8bdaecde8f.bundle.min.js"></script>
<script>

    var stylesheets = [
        'https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/fonts-b858ad4bb0.min.css',
        'https://netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css',
        'https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/weather-icons/1.2/css/weather-icons.min.css',
        'https://nvcdn.nbcnews.com/_elliott/jenga_css?widgets=zinger2'
    ];
    function onloadCSS( ss, callback ) {ss.onload = function() {ss.onload = null;if( callback ) {callback.call( ss );}};if( "isApplicationInstalled" in navigator && "onloadcssdefined" in ss ) {ss.onloadcssdefined( callback );}}

    setTimeout(function () {
        if(!getCookie('fonts_cached')){
            var fonts = loadCSS(stylesheets[0]);
            onloadCSS(fonts, function() {
                $.cookie('fonts_cached','Y', {path:'/', expires: 14});
            });
        }
        loadCSS(stylesheets[1]);
        loadCSS(stylesheets[2]);
        loadCSS(stylesheets[3]);
    }, 1);

  window.DTM = {
    routedata:{},
    routename: 'article',
    pagetype: '',
    taxonomy: 'us-news',
    taxonomy_parent: 'news',
    social_share : {}
  };

  window.analyticsDataLayer = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas","page":"article","section":"news","topic":"us-news","byline":"Daniella Silva","externalId":"795596","contentType":"post","entryId":"795596","headline":"Hurricane Harvey Intensifies to Category 2 as It Roars Toward Texas","summary":"Forecasters say 115-mph winds are expected, along with \"life-threatening\" storm surges and flooding, as Harvey churns over the central coast of Texas.","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596","createdDate":"2017-08-24 17:24:51 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-25 13:45:00 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-25 14:23:23 Z","videoCount":2,"channelSection":"news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"};
</script>

  <script src="https://assets.adobedtm.com/cd771b0aa897f931a306d7ab6af0d448836b5fd1/satelliteLib-d7647ef38f862ffb17587d65d0a95182256c1765.js"></script>

  <script async src="https://nvcdn.nbcnews.com/_elliott/jenga?widgets=newsletter,zinger2"></script>
<script>
  $(function () {
    if (!Modernizr.svg) {
      $('.svg-fallback').attr('src', function () {
        return $(this).attr('src').replace(/\.(svg)$/i, '.png');
      });
    }
  });
</script>

<script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/main-4f0955b1c5.bundle.min.js"></script>


  <div id="playerframe" class="playerframe" style="position: absolute">
    <div id="js-player-loading" class="loading_container is-hidden">
      <div class="loading_indicator"></div>
    </div>
    <div id="js-control-rack-placeholder"></div>
  </div>

  <script type="text/template" id="js-control-rack">
    <% if ((isAd) || (isVideo && useDuringContent)) { %>
      <% if ((lastMouseMove + hideDelay) > (currentTime)) { %>
        <div class="controlrack_video-ad-scrubber" id="video-control-rack">
          <% if (isPlaying) { %>
            <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-pause">
              <i class="fa fa-pause" aria-label="Pause"></i>
            </div>
          <% } else { %>
            <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-play">
              <i class="fa fa-play" aria-label="Play"></i>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isAd) { %>
            <div class="controlrack_ad-control">
              <div class="controlrack_center-content">
                Your video begins in <div class="controlrack_ad-time">
                  <%- timeFormat(endTime-currentTime) %>
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isLive) { %>
            <div class="controlrack_ad-control">
              <div class="controlrack_center-content">
                <div class="controlrack_ad-time">
                  <i class="fa fa-circle">  </i>LIVE
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isVideo && !isAd && !isLive) { %>
            <div class="time-control">
              <div class="time time-progress">
                <%-timeFormat(currentTime)%>
              </div>
              <div class="scrubber-wrapper">
                <div class="scrubber">
                  <div id="scrubber-status" class="scrubber-status" style="width: <%= Math.floor((currentTime * 100) / endTime) %>%">&nbsp;</div>
                </div>
              </div>
              <div class="time time-end">
                <%-timeFormat(endTime)%>
              </div>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isVideo || isLive) { %>
            <div class="btn-right">
              <% if (isDesktop) { %>
                <% if (inMutedState) { %>
                  <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-volume-off">
                    <i class="fa fa-volume-off"></i>
                  </div>
                <% } else { %>
                  <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-volume-on">
                    <i class="fa fa-volume-up"></i>
                  </div>
                <% } %>
              <% } %>
                <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-cc">
                    <i class="fa fa-cc"></i>
                    <% if (ccMenuOpen) { %>
                      <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-ccOptions">
                        <i class="fa fa-option">Options</i>
                        <i class="fa fa-english">English</i>
                        <i class="fa fa-off">Off</i>
                      </div>
                    <% } %>
                </div>
              <% if (inFullscreenState) { %>
                <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-compress">
                  <i class="fa fa-compress"></i>
                </div>
              <% } else { %>
                <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-expand">
                  <i class="fa fa-expand"></i>
                </div>
              <% } %>
            </div>
          <% } %>
        </div>
      <% } %>
    <% } %>
  </script>

  <script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/articleApp-d2de6d339f.bundle.min.js"></script>
 <script>
    $(function () {
      // reminder: this only loads on initial pageload
      articleApp.articleViewBindings(false, '795596');
      articleApp.sectionTopic = '/storyline/hurricane-harvey';
      articleApp.nextArticles = [{"externalId":"833291","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-hit-texans-still-struggle-recovery-amid-housing-challenges-n833291","headline":"Harvey-hit Texans still struggle with recovery amid housing challenges","id":"ncna833291"},{"externalId":"832011","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/houston-mayor-makes-desperate-plea-hurricane-harvey-recovery-aid-n832011","headline":"Houston mayor makes desperate plea for Hurricane Harvey recovery aid","id":"ncna832011"},{"externalId":"827571","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/slideshow/storm-battered-teams-face-final-football-showdown-n827571","headline":"Storm-battered teams face final football showdown","id":"ncsl827571"},{"externalId":"821946","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/white-house-requests-44-billion-additional-disaster-relief-n821946","headline":"White House requests $44 billion in additional disaster relief ","id":"ncna821946"},{"externalId":"819851","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/two-months-after-harvey-coastal-texas-towns-still-desperate-housing-n819851","headline":"Two Months After Harvey, Coastal Texas Towns Still Desperate for Housing","id":"ncna819851"},{"externalId":"815211","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/economists-say-farmers-lost-200-million-during-hurricane-harvey-n815211","headline":"Economists Say Farmers Lost $200 Million During Hurricane Harvey","id":"ncna815211"},{"externalId":"811896","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-deepens-divide-between-houston-s-haves-have-nots-n811896","headline":"Receding Waters in Houston Reveal Families' Divergent Paths to Recovery","id":"ncna811896"},{"externalId":"812996","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/former-presidents-call-unity-hurricane-aid-concert-n812996","headline":"Former Presidents Call for Unity at Hurricane Aid Concert","id":"ncna812996"},{"externalId":"812961","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/five-former-u-s-presidents-appearing-texas-hurricane-relief-concert-n812961","headline":"Five Former U.S. Presidents Appearing at Texas Hurricane Relief Concert","id":"ncna812961"},{"externalId":"812686","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/houston-suburb-harvey-relief-applicants-don-t-boycott-israel-n812686","headline":"Houston Suburb to Harvey Relief Applicants: Don't Boycott Israel","id":"ncna812686"}];
      articleApp.articleContext = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas","page":"article","section":"news","topic":"us-news","byline":"Daniella Silva","externalId":"795596","contentType":"post","entryId":"795596","headline":"Hurricane Harvey Intensifies to Category 2 as It Roars Toward Texas","summary":"Forecasters say 115-mph winds are expected, along with \"life-threatening\" storm surges and flooding, as Harvey churns over the central coast of Texas.","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-intensifies-it-roars-toward-texas-n795596","createdDate":"2017-08-24 17:24:51 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-25 13:45:00 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-25 14:23:23 Z","videoCount":2,"channelSection":"news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"};

      window.videoAnalyticsDataLayer ={};
      window.videoAnalyticsDataLayer.channelSection = analyticsDataLayer.channelSection;

      articleApp.updateArticle('795596');
    });
  </script>

  <script src="//cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/nbcnews/loader.js"></script>



<script type="text/javascript">_satellite.pageBottom();</script>
  <script type="text/javascript"> 
  	if (mps && typeof(mps.writeFooter) === 'function'){
  		mps.writeFooter();
  	} 
  </script>
<script src="https://jetpack.nbcnews.com/prod/Servejetpack?bucket=jetpack-rev&bundle=jetpack-master/nbcnews"></script>
</body>
</html>
