Since Friday, we in Seabrook, like most of the greater Houston area, have been subject to quite extraordinary wind, rain and flooding – all from the wandering hurricane (now tropical storm) Harvey.  In the last two days we’ve received between 27and 30 inches of rain.  Todville Road, where I live, has flooded, and some overnight squalls have been extreme.  More is expected in the days to come; indeed, more are approaching as I write.

I’ve taken videos and photos since Friday night, including an enjoyable kayak tour of old Seabrook with neighbor Steve during a rare lull in the storm early this afternoon. I’ll share a few in this and subsequent posts.

This was taken Friday evening from my front porch, when the first rains and street flooding were beginning; the lightning and thunder add a realistic touch.  The squalls continued all night, easing somewhat on Saturday, before becoming quite more violent in the last hours of Saturday and the first hours of Sunday morning.

This was taken early this morning, after a night of the fiercest weather I have experienced since going through Hurricane Gilbert (Cat 5) on a cargo ship in Jamaica many years ago (1988?).  Weather today was comparatively mild, with only a few inches of rain falling.

This is neighbor Steve, stopping to check his mailbox, at the beginning of our kayak tour early this afternoon.

As we started our paddling tour, we visited with neighbors Randy and Holly, out doing a bit of cleaning during a rare lull in the squalls.

Paddling north on Todville.  Galveston Bay is to our right, the lagoons to our left.  The water level of street, bay and lagoons was equal, and we could paddle from one to another without hindrance – and we did!

More from our tour north on Todville.

South on lower Todville Road:

In places, the water wasn’t very deep over the road.  At one point Steve and I got out and walked.  This shows the rush of flood water into the bay right next to my house (the blue one):

One wonderful surprise from the storm: a flock of frigate birds – I’ve counted 8 – blew in and have soared along the shoreline all weekend.  They are lovely birds, not commonly seen here.  I hope they choose to stay.

It is now 11 p.m. Sunday, August 27, as I finish this.  Tremendous lightning and thunder are approaching again from the southwest, from where the storms of the last two nights have approached.  I pray for the safety of friends, family and strangers everywhere.