Hurricane Harvey dumped an average of 5 inches (about 13cm) of rain per day over the Houston area throughout a five day period. That involves both a transfer of moisture and a transfer of energy between the atmosphere, ocean, and land.
a. Describe the hydrological cycle for hurricane Harvey. In particular, where did the water come from, that ultimately ended up condensing as rain in hurricane Harvey, and where did it go?
b. The atmosphere does not hold 5 inches worth of water at one time. Furthermore, the amount of water in the atmosphere during hurricane Harvey stayed relatively constant despite the intense rain rate. Use the "budget equation" to explain how the amount of water in the atmosphere can stay relatively constant, despite the 5 inches per day that was rained out.
c. Describe the energy transfer process that accompanies the hydrological cycle described in part a. In particular, where does the energy come from to evaporate water off of the surface of the ocean, and where does that energy go?