Trump to Texas as Hurricane Harvey approaches: “Good luck to everybody”

Hurricane Harvey is predicted to dump more than 30 inches of rain and wreak havoc on the Texas coast from Friday evening into the weekend.

“Good luck to everybody,” President Trump told reporters on Friday his way into the White House.

Trump has also tweeted about the need for Texans to follow the advice of their local representatives, and on Friday he met with FEMA Administrator Brock Long, acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke, and Chief of Staff John Kelly.

“It’s going to be 4.6 million people, I guess, in the path of the storm depending on how the forecast goes. That’s a lot of people,” Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert said Friday afternoon at the White House press briefing. “We encourage people to be ready, be prepared, take some responsibility for their own safety as the next 72 hours unfold.”

Vox’s Brian Resnick has the latest on the storm:

Hurricane Harvey is currently churning with winds at 120 miles per hour (making it a Category 3 storm). “This is a life-threatening situation,” the hurricane center reports in no uncertain terms. “Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.” Counties and cities along the Gulf Coast have issued mandatory or voluntary evacuation notices. (The San Antonio Express-News is keeping track of all the locations in Texas under evacuation orders. Check out its list here.)

Though these are serious warnings based on the government’s best scientific predictions, the forecast for Harvey will likely change (perhaps for the better, perhaps for the worse). But know: This is a major, dangerous weather event. The specific amounts of rainfall, wind, and coastal flooding may change — but they’re all likely to occur in dangerous levels. So focus on preparing for the worst if the storm tracks anywhere near where you live.