Water vapor imagery from NOAA GOES Satellite shows Ike intensifying near the Texas Coast.
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Sean Morris
CNN weather producer
Ike remains a strong category 2 hurricane … and could become a category 3 hurricane right before landfall. Hurricane-force wind gusts are now occurring on Galveston Island. Maximum sustained winds are currently 110 mph. An increase of 1 mph would make Ike a major category 3 hurricane.
Ike is moving toward the northwest at 12 mph, and is located about 55 miles south-southeast of Galveston, TX. Ike should make landfall along the Texas Coast between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Saturday morning. The National Hurricane Center urges people not to venture outside in the eye when it comes ashore. The strongest winds and highest surge will likely occur near or just after landfall.
Dangerous storm surge will occur at landfall. Storm surge along a few of the coastal bays could reach 25 feet or higher.
Ike is a very large hurricane. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 120 miles from the center. Tropical storm-force wind gusts extend outward 275 miles from the center.
Isolated tornadoes will be possible tonight in Texas and Louisiana as Ike moves northwestward.
Ike could produce isolated rainfall amounts of 15 inches or greater.
Intermediate advisories will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 12 a.m. CDT and 2 a.m. CDT followed by the next complete advisory at 4 a.m. CDT.
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Filed under: Hurricane Ike |
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Why should we have the police and fire personel risk their lives to save people who are too stupid to leave when receiving an evacuation order. Also it doesn't help the gene pool.
Is there any information about the Houston Heights area?
Anderson,
I live in Florida and have been through numerous hurricanes. Just one thought, if the governor of your state, the mayor of your town, the local law enforcement, and the weather service all say there is a mandatory evacuation, and you are provided with ample time to leave, possible transport out by a local agency or other means of leaving is provided to you, and you ignore the warnings and stay...
I think the goverment should charge you with a fine that includes the complete cost of your rescue. Why should the law abiding citizens of a state have to watch your sensational waste of goverment tax dollars on tv? In this storm, residents were told they would face certain death, if that is not a clue to leave, what else can be said. I believe everyone has a right to stya if that is thier desire, but I also believe that they own that choice and should be held accountable for thier poor judgement.
Thank you for the time you took to read this, but in times where energy costs are through the roof, it does not make sense to waste public funds and put men and women into harms way for nothing, perhaps the people that stay behind despite all efforts to convince them otherwise should pay the goverment back with multiple hours of public service, perhaps in disaster education.
Hey Anderson and Crew,
Great Coverage! You guys are amazing and brave. Stay safe out there.
Hey, the coverage is great. However, why evacuate if staying is safe enough for your intrepid reporters? They are telling us on live camera that you could die if you stay. Still they remain.
Ivan,
please answer me...i have a sister in Houston...you say your area is safe?how come when they say Ike is going to attack Houston the whole comes in ?anyway.... my sister lives at Sawtooth Oak is it safe from Ike??
please please let me know...
I don't understand why you removed my comment. If I posted in the wrong area, please let me know. I would still like an answer or comments to my concerns! Thanks
Lisa
Very exciting but from a far distance I can wonder if I will ever see a cane named Immanuel, Imam, or Isaiah? Probably not. Do the same names get used over and over? If not Ishi, Ichabod, Iago ,Igantius, Ishmael, and Ingemar deserve some wind. Maybe we should start naming our droughts out west and our El Nino/La Ninas. Probably thanks to this monsterous Ike gas was back up to 4.00 and higher a gallon here in Ca tonight after dipping to 3.65.
Lakshmi,
I'm in Houston and I live very close to Rice University. This part of Houston has not been affected by Ike so far. The wind is getting stronger and it just started to rain. So far, we still have electricity and internet. So that tells you that we doing fine. This part of Houston is very safe...so don't worry so much about about your child. I'm sure he is safe in the Rice Univ. Pray for all of us.
Ivan
I've been thinking about the Houston Zoo and hope that the animals there are secured.
CNN is doing a great job covering Ike, but I am deeply concerned that the reporters are taking, or were taking, too much of a risk standing in the blowing wind...just to make headlines.
Sure, everyone wants to make a good show, but common sense dictates more caution than headlines.
I would rather see them safe in a shelter than standing in the wind and risking life, just to get the video spot! For one reason, it's hard to understand what they are saying and the extreme risk is just stupidity.
Life is too precious to risk. I have a brain lesion (or something like it) in my head that will probably end up killing me...and then I have to watch healthy young folks on TV risk killing themselves over a 'spot' for ratings. Now, that just grates my nerves.
Take care all and above all, be safer and get us the news than make the spot, for bragging rights!
Darryl
Cincinnati
The San Luis Hotel in Galveston where AC and all are stationed tonight is built on a World War II bunker – 8-12 feet deep cement walls. It is therefore more protected from storms like Ike. Wishing you all safe and sound tonight!
PLEASE,PLEASE get the woman and her dog out of the car in the hotel parking lot in Galveston. I can't believe anyone would not insist she go into the hotel for safety. Did anyone ask her to do so?
Hi Anderson and Crew,
Great coverage as always!
There are a lot of colleges/universities in and around Houston and most of the kids could not leave. I too have a child going to school at Rice University who is at a hurricane shelter on campus.
Can you pl. let us know how safe this kids are?
Worried Mom
Mequon, WI
Anderson, During Gustav we heard a lot from Gov. Jindal. But Gov. Perry is hardly seen in the forefront of the rescue mission here in Texas. How much of a work is he doing in regards to the preperation of this Hurricane. At least has the Texas National Guard been mobilized ?
Anderson
Question what happens to all the trains during a storm like this I watch
CNN all the time and I have never seen any thing on this
Thanks Be safe
Joe K
Why do hurricanes always seem to make landfall at night? Since I live in Calgary, Canada, we don't have hurricanes of course. Been watching your amazing coverage non-stop, keep it up.