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MONDAY 9/15/2008 1:00AM
Ike-related storm deaths state by state
Information from The Associated Press

A look at storm-related deaths, by state, reported by authorities after Ike's passage from Texas northward across the U.S. midsection:

Texas — seven dead, including a person found in a submerged vehicle in Galveston and a 4-year-old Houston boy, of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning from an emergency generator.

Louisiana — six dead, including a 16-year-old boy trapped in rising floodwaters.

Tennessee — two dead, both golfers killed by a falling tree.

Arkansas — one dead when a tree fell on a mobile home.

Ohio — three dead, including one who died when a tree fell on a home.

Indiana — four dead, a father and son killed helping children escape from a ditch.

Illinois — two dead, including an elderly man found in a flooded backyard.

Missouri — three dead, including a woman struck by a tree limb and an elderly man suspected of drowning in a flooded yard.

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SUNDAY 9/14/2008 9:25AM
Curfews issued in Houston
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - Houston officials issue 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. weeklong curfew for city slammed by Hurricane Ike.

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SATURDAY 9/13/2008 2:05PM
Ike downgraded
Information from The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - Forecasters: Ike weakens to a tropical storm over eastern Texas with winds near 60 mph.

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SATURDAY 9/13/2008 2:04PM
Landmark Texas nightclub destroyed by Ike's surge
Information from The Associated Press

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - A famous Texas nightclub where Frank Sinata and Bob Hope once performed is no longer - thanks to Hurricane Ike.

The 79-year-old Balinese Room - a popular dance and gambling hall that was once a major attraction in Galveston, was washed away by battering storm surge as Ike roared ashore early Saturday.

Erected on Galveston's sea wall, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

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SATURDAY 9/13/2008 2:00PM
Rescue crews wait for Ike to pass to find victims
Information from The Associated Press

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Howling ashore with 110 mph winds, Hurricane Ike ravaged the Texas coast Saturday, flooding thousands of homes and businesses, shattering windows in Houston's skyscrapers and knocking out power to millions of people.

With roads still unpassable, it was unclear how many may have perished, and authorities mobilized for a huge search-and-rescue operation to reach the more than 100,000 people who ignored warnings that attempting to ride the storm out could bring "certain death." Crews were waiting for the storm to pass to make rescues.

"The unfortunate truth is we're going to have to go in ... and put our people in the tough situation to save people who did not choose wisely. We'll probably do the largest search-and-rescue operation that's ever been conducted in the state of Texas," said Andrew Barlow, spokesman for Gov. Rick Perry.

The storm's first fatality was a woman in a neighborhood north of Houston who was killed when a tree fell on her home as she slept, authorities said.

Ike passed over Houston before dawn, blowing out windows in the state's tallest building, the 75-story Chase Tower. Behind splintered shards, desks were exposed to the pounding morning rains, metal blinds hung in a twisted heap from some windows, and smoky black glass covered the streets below.

Documents, marked "highly confidential," were strewn across nearly empty streets.

"Every storm's unique, but this one certainly will be remembered for its size," said Benton McGee, supervisory hydrologist at the U.S. Geological Survey's storm surge center in Ruston, La.

In Louisiana, Ike's storm surge inundated thousands of homes and businesses. In Plaquemines Parish, near New Orleans, a sheriff's spokesman said levees were overtopped and floodwaters were higher
than either hurricane Katrina or Rita.

Ike landed near the nation's biggest complex of refineries and petrochemical plants. Fears of shortages pushed wholesale gasoline prices to around $4.85 a gallon, up from $3 earlier in the week, and at least eight refineries were shut down. But it was too soon to know how they fared.

Fires burned untended across Galveston and Houston. Brennan's, a landmark downtown Houston restaurant, was destroyed by flames when firefighters were thwarted by high winds.

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SATURDAY 9/13/2008 1:00PM
Falling tree kills Texas woman at height of storm
Information from The Associated Press

PINEHURST, Texas (AP) - A woman has died after a tree fell on her home as Hurricane Ike roared into an area north of Houston.

Montgomery County Sheriff's Lt. Dan Norris said the woman was in her bed early Saturday when the tree toppled on her home.

He did not have additional details, and her name was not released.

It's the first confirmed death from Hurricane Ike, which barreled into southeast Texas early Saturday morning.

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SATURDAY 9/13/2008 9:35AM
Devastating Ike roars ashore in Galveston, Texas

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - There's extensive damage in southeast Texas where Hurricane Ike roared ashore earlier today.

Thousands of homes and government buildings are flooded and roads are washed out. Nearly 3 million people are without power, and utilities are warning that it could be weeks before all the service is restored. The only parts of Houston with power are downtown and the massive medical center section.

A spokesman for Houston's mayor says several fires are burning untended across the city, and 911 operators have received about 1,250 calls in 24 hours. Authorities in four counties say roughly 140,000 ignored mandatory evacuation orders.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says more than 5.5 million prepackaged meals are being sent to the region, along with more than 230 generators and 5.6 million liters of water. At least 3,500 FEMA officials are stationed in Texas and Louisiana.

Hurricane Ike has begun moving away from Houston and is expected to head northeast toward Arkansas later today. It's now a Category 1 storm with winds near 90 miles-per-hour.

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FRIDAY 9/12/2008 11:00 PM
Colossal Hurricane Ike lashes Texas coast
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - A monster-sized Hurricane Ike bore down on the Texas coast late Friday, threatening to rattle the sparkling skyscrapers of America's fourth-largest city, shut down the heart of the U.S oil industry for days and obliterate waterfront towns already flooded with waist-high water.

Though nearly 1 million people evacuated coastal communities in the days leading up to the storm, tens of thousands ignored calls to leave and decided to tough it out. But as wind-whipped floodwaters began crashing into coastal homes, many changed their minds. Galveston fire crews rescued more than 300 people who were walking through flooded streets, clutching clothes and other belongings as they tried to wade to safety.

At 600 miles across, the storm was nearly as big as Texas itself, and threatened to give the state its worst pounding in a generation. It was on track to crash ashore early Saturday near Galveston, the same site that suffered the nation's worst natural disaster when a legendary storm struck without warning and killed 6,000 more than a century ago.

Officials were growing increasingly worried about the stalwarts, and many communities imposed curfews to discourage looters. Authorities in three counties alone said roughly 90,000 stayed behind, despite a warning from forecasters that many of those in one- or two-story homes on the coast faced "certain death."

With heavy bands of rain and high winds moving in, rescue crews were forced to retreat and leave the stubborn to fend for themselves. Firefighters left a boat and yacht warehouse in Galveston in flames because water was too high for fire trucks to navigate.

Power was knocked out to hundreds of thousands of customers in Louisiana and along the Texas coast. That number that was expected to climb quickly throughout the night, according to Centerpoint Energy, the primary electricity provider for the region.

As of 11 p.m. EDT, Ike was centered about 55 miles southeast of Galveston, moving at 12 mph. It was close to a Category 3 storm with winds of 110 mph, and was expected to strengthen by the time the eye hit land. Forecasters predicted it would come ashore somewhere near Galveston early Saturday and pass almost directly over Houston.

Because of the hurricane's size, the state's shallow coastal waters and its largely unprotected coastline, forecasters said the biggest threat would be flooding and storm surge, with Ike expected to hurl a wall of water two stories high — 20 to 25 feet — at the coast.

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FRIDAY 9/12/2008 9:00 PM
Hurricane Ike begins to batter Texas coast
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - Hurricane Ike, a colossal storm nearly as big as Texas itself, battered the coast Friday, threatening to obliterate waterfront towns and give the skyscrapers, refineries and docks of the nation's fourth-largest city their worst pounding in a generation.

But even as towering waves crashed over the 17-foot Galveston seawall and floodwaters rose in low-lying areas, it became clear that many of the 1 million coastal residents who had been ordered to get out refused to do so and were taking their chances.

Authorities in three counties alone said roughly 90,000 stayed behind, despite a warning from forecasters that many of those in one- or two-story homes faced "certain death."

At about 600 miles across, the hurricane was a monster. As it zeroed in on the coast, it trapped 60 people who had to be rescued by helicopter from the floodwaters near Galveston, breached levees in rural Louisiana, and stranded 22 crewmen on a disabled 584-foot cargo ship in the Gulf.

Before sunset Friday, power had been knocked out to hundreds of thousands of customers in Louisiana and along the Texas coast. That number that was expected to climb quickly throughout the night, according to Centerpoint Energy, the primary electricity provider for the region.

As of 9 p.m. EDT, Ike was centered about 70 miles southeast of Galveston, moving at 13 mph. It was close to a Category 3 storm with winds of 110 mph, and was expected to strengthen by the time the eye hit land. Forecasters predicted it would come ashore somewhere near Galveston early Saturday and pass almost directly over Houston.

Because of the hurricane's size, the state's shallow coastal waters and its largely unprotected coastline, forecasters said the biggest threat would be flooding and storm surge, with Ike expected to hurl a wall of water two stories high — 20 to 25 feet — at the coast.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said more than 5.5 million prepackaged meals were being sent to the region, along with more than 230 generators and 5.6 million liters of water. At least 3,500 FEMA officials were stationed in Texas and Louisiana.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Friday asked President Bush for a "wide-reaching emergency declaration" in all 88 counties being affected. Perry said this declaration would ensure 100 percent reimbursement for all storm-related costs.

In Houston, authorities instructed most of the city's 2 million residents to just hunker down to avoid highway gridlock.

Still, authorities warned the storm could travel up Galveston Bay and send a surge up the Houston Ship Channel and into the port of Houston, the nation's second-busiest port — an economically vital complex of docks, pipelines, depots and warehouses that receives automobiles, consumer products, industrial equipment and other cargo from around the world and ships out vast amounts of petrochemicals and agricultural products.

The oil and gas industry was also closely watching Ike because it was headed straight for the nation's biggest complex of refineries and petrochemical plants. Wholesale gasoline prices jumped to around $4.85 a gallon for fear of shortages.

The storm could also force water up the seven bayous that thread through Houston, swamping neighborhoods so flood-prone that they get inundated during ordinary rainstorms.

Ike would be the first major hurricane to hit a U.S. metropolitan area since Katrina devastated New Orleans three years ago. For Houston, it would be the first major hurricane since Alicia in August 1983 came ashore on Galveston Island, killing 21 people and causing $2 billion in damage. Houston has since then seen a population explosion, so many of the residents now in the storm's path have never experienced the full wrath of a hurricane.

In southeastern Louisiana near Houma, Ike breached levees, threatening thousands of homes of fishermen, oil-field workers, farmers and others.

Though Ike's center was heading for Texas, it spawned thunderstorms, shut down schools and knocked out power throughout southern Louisiana on Friday. An estimated 1,200 people were in state shelters in Monroe and Shreveport, and another 220 in medical needs shelters.

High winds forced the Air Force and Coast Guard to abort plans to send aircraft to the Gulf of Mexico in a daring attempt to rescue 22 crewmen adrift on a stalled freighter in rough seas 90 miles off Galveston.

In Galveston, a working-class town of about 57,000, waves crashed over the 11-mile seawall built a century ago, after the Great Storm of 1900 killed 6,000 residents. That hurricane remains the nation's deadliest natural disaster.

While the Galveston beachfront is dotted with new condominiums and some elegant beach homes on stilts, most people live in older, one-story bungalows. The National Weather Service warned "widespread and devastating" damage was expected.

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FRIDAY 9/12/2008 6:00 PM
Hurricane Ike grows as it closes in on Texas
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - Hurricane Ike began battering the coast Friday, threatening to obliterate waterfront towns and give the skyscrapers, refineries and docks of the nation's fourth-largest city their worst pounding in a generation.

But even as towering waves started crashing over the 17-foot Galveston seawall and floodwaters rose in low-lying areas, it became clear that many of the 1 million coastal residents who had been ordered to get out refused to so and were taking their chances.

Authorities in three counties alone said roughly 90,000 stayed behind, despite a warning from forecasters that many of those in one- or two-story homes faced "certain death."

At about 600 miles across, the hurricane was a monster, taking up almost the entire northern half of the Gulf of Mexico. As it zeroed in on the coast, it trapped 60 people who had to be rescued from the floodwaters near Galveston by helicopter, breached levees in rural Louisiana, and tossed around a disabled 584-foot cargo ship in the Gulf.

Before sunset Friday, power had been knocked out to 70,000 customers along the coast, including 15,000 in Galvaston. That number that was expected to climb quickly throughout the night, according to Centerpoint Energy, the primary electricity provider for the region.

As of 6 p.m. EDT, Ike was centered about 135 miles southeast of Galveston, moving at 12 mph. It was close to a Category 3 storm with winds of 110 mph, and was expected to strengthen by the time the eye hit land. Forecasters predicted it would come ashore somewhere near Galveston late Friday or early Saturday and pass almost directly over Houston.

Because of the hurricane's size, the state's shallow coastal waters and its largely unprotected coastline, forecasters said the biggest threat would be flooding and storm surge, with Ike expected to hurl a wall of water two stories high — 20 to 25 feet — at the coast.

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FRIDAY 9/12/2008 5:30 PM
22 stranded on lame ship as Ike roars through Gulf
Information from The Associated Press

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Twenty-two people are riding out Hurricane Ike aboard a crippled freighter in the Gulf of Mexico.

The nearly 600-foot ship called the Antalina sent a distress call early Friday after it broke down in the hurricane's path.

The Coast Guard says the storm's winds are too strong to try to rescue the crew by air and the waves are too high right now to send another boat.

Petty Officer Tom Atkeson says aircraft hauling rescue swimmers headed to the ship but were forced to land in Lake Charles, La.

The ship is about 120 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas.

Authorities are talking with the crew and might be able to launch another rescue attempt later.

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FRIDAY 9/12/2008 5:00 PM
Ike floods roads, whips waves along Texas
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - Hurricane Ike, a colossal storm nearly as big as Texas itself, began battering the coast Friday, threatening to obliterate waterfront towns and give the skyscrapers, refineries and docks of the nation's fourth-largest city their worst pounding in a generation.

As the storm closed in, it trapped 60 people who had to be rescued from the floodwaters by helicopter, sent towering waves smashing over the 17-foot Galveston seawall, breached levees in rural Louisiana, and tossed around a disabled 584-foot cargo ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

About a million people in low-lying coastal areas were ordered to get out well ahead of the storm. But authorities in three counties alone said roughly 90,000 of them refused, despite a warning from forecasters that those staying behind in Galveston faced "certain death."

At about 600 miles across, the hurricane was one of the largest in recent memory, taking up almost the entire northern half of the Gulf of Mexico.

As of 5 p.m. EDT, Ike was centered about 135 miles southeast of Galveston, moving at 12 mph. It was a Category 2 storm, with winds of 105 mph, but was expected to strengthen to a Category 3, or at least 111 mph, by the time it hit land.

Forecasters predicted it would come ashore somewhere near Galveston late Friday or early Saturday and pass almost directly over Houston.

Because of the hurricane's size, the state's shallow coastal waters and its largely unprotected coastline, forecasters said the biggest threat would be flooding and storm surge, with Ike expected to hurl a wall of water two stories high - 20 to 25 feet - at the coastline.

To avoid highway gridlock, authorities instructed most of Houston's 2 million residents to just hunker down.

Still, authorities warned that the storm could travel up Galveston Bay and send a surge up the Houston Ship Channel and into the port of Houston, the nation's second-busiest port - a complex of docks, pipelines, depots and warehouses that receives automobiles, consumer products, industrial equipment and other cargo from around the world and ships out vast amounts of petrochemicals and agricultural products.

The oil and gas industry was also closely watching Ike because it was headed straight for the nation's biggest complex of refineries and petrochemical plants. Wholesale gasoline prices jumped to around $4.85 a gallon for fear of shortages.

The storm could also force water up the seven bayous that thread through Houston, swamping neighborhoods so flood-prone that they get inundated during ordinary rainstorms.

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FRIDAY 9/12/2008 2:00 PM
Hurricane Ike approaches, could become Category 3 storm
Information from The Associated Press

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - A massive hurricane is already making its presence felt along the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. But Ike isn't expected to strike land until late tonight or early tomorrow, probably near Galveston.

The storm is now about 165 miles southeast of there, moving to the west-northwest at near 12 miles an hour. Forecasters say it could be a Category 3 storm with winds of at least 111 miles an hour before the eye comes ashore.

Hurricane warnings are in effect over a 400-mile stretch of coastline.

The storm is already sending white waves crashing over a seawall in Galveston. The National Weather Service warned residents of smaller structures there that they could face "certain death" if they ignored an order to evacuate. Most have complied.

The storm's winds and waves initially kept the Coast Guard from trying to rescue 22 people on a freighter that broke down in the path of the storm. But by midday, the Coast Guard changed its mind and decided to attempt a rescue.

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FRIDAY 9/12/2008 1:00 PM
Hurricane Ike whips up waves as it moves into Texas
Information from The Associated Press

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Hurricane Ike is still hours from making landfall, but it's already sending waves crashing over seawalls along the Texas coast.

Forecasters expect Ike's eye to come ashore somewhere near Galveston late tonight or early tomorrow. Waves as tall as 15 feet are already hitting the city, and flooding is already being reported in other coastal towns along the Texas and Louisiana coast.

The National Weather Service has warned residents in smaller structures that they could "face certain death" if they ignore orders to evacuate.

Galveston is both a city and a barrier island, rising about 10 feet above sea level. It was the scene of the nation's deadliest hurricane. Six-thousand people were killed in the great storm of 1900.

If it stays on its projected path, Ike could head up the Houston ship channel and through Galveston Bay. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff calls that a nightmare scenario.

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FRIDAY 9/12/2008 11:00 AM
Texas prepares for Ike's eye to make landfall tonight
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - Texas residents are scrambling to get ready for Hurricane Ike.

Hardware stores have put limits on the number of gas containers that people can buy. Batteries, drinking water and other storm supplies are running low, and grocery stores are getting set to close.

Evacuation orders are in effect for low-lying sections of the Houston area. In Surfside Beach, police have been using a dump truck to try to reach flooded homes and any people who have refused to leave.

But officials say people who live inland shouldn't flock to the roadways because those in coastal communities are still trying to evacuate.

Ike is currently a Category 2 storm with winds up to 105 miles-per-hour. Its eye is forecast to strike near Galveston late today or early tomorrow, but the hurricane is large enough that its effects are already being felt.

Water levels have risen by more than 5 feet along the northwestern Gulf Coast, causing flooding in some places.

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FRIDAY 9/12/2008 8:00 AM
Ike strands freighter in Gulf; Houston braces
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - A sprawling and strengthening Hurricane Ike steamed through the Gulf of Mexico on Friday on a track toward the nation's fourth-largest city, where authorities told residents to brace rather than flee.

Ike's eye was forecast to strike somewhere near Galveston late Friday or early Saturday, but the massive system was already buffeting Texas and Louisiana, causing flooding along the Louisiana coast still recovering from Labor Day's Hurricane Gustav.

The National Weather Service warned residents of smaller structures on Galveston they could "face certain death" if they ignored an order to evacuate; most had complied, along with hundreds of thousands of fellow Texans in counties up and down the coastline.

At 8 a.m. EDT Friday, the storm was centered about 230 miles southeast of Galveston, moving to the west-northwest near 13 mph. Hurricane warnings were in effect over a 400-mile stretch of coastline from south of Corpus Christi to Morgan City, La. Tropical storm warnings extended south almost to the Mexican border and east to the Mississippi-Alabama line, including New Orleans.

The oil and gas industry was closely watching the storm because it was headed straight for the nation's biggest complex of refineries and petrochemical plants. The upper Texas coast accounts for one-fifth of U.S. refining capacity. Some service stations in the Southeast were limiting customers to 10 gallons of gas to guard against running out.

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THURSDAY 9/11/2008 7:00 PM
Texas prepares for a gigantic Hurricane Ike
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - Cars and trucks are streaming inland and oil and chemical companies are buttoning up their plants as a gigantic hurricane takes aim at eastern Texas.

Ike is steering almost directly for Galveston and, beyond that, Houston.

Texas Governor Rick Perry says "It's going to do some substantial damage. It's going to knock out power. It's going to cause massive flooding."

Nearly a million people have been ordered to evacuate ahead of the storm, which is expected to strike late tomorrow or early Saturday

Ike is huge, taking up nearly 40 percent of the Gulf. The National Hurricane Center says tropical storm-force winds of at least 39 miles per hour extend across more than 510 miles, and hurricane-force winds of at least 74 miles per hour stretch for 220 miles.

Forecasters say Ike is likely to come ashore as a Category 3, with winds up to 130 miles per hour.

Experts say storm surge and gigantic waves are the biggest risk.

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THURSDAY 9/11/2008 5:00 PM
Texas prepares for Hurricane Ike
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - Nearly 1 million people along the Texas coast were ordered to evacuate ahead of the storm, which was expected to strike late Friday or early Saturday. But in a calculated risk aimed at avoiding total gridlock, authorities told most people in the nation's fourth-largest city to just hunker down.

Ike was steering almost directly for Galveston and, beyond that, Houston, where gleaming skyscrapers, the nation's biggest refinery and NASA's Johnson Space Center lie in areas vulnerable to wind and floodwaters. Forecasters said the storm was likely to come ashore as a Category 3, with winds up to 130 mph.

But the storm was so big, it could inflict a punishing blow even in those areas that do not get a direct hit. Forecasters warned that because of Ike's size and the state's shallow coastal waters, it could produce a surge, or wall of water, 20 feet high, and waves of perhaps 50 feet. It could also dump 10 inches or more of rain.

Hurricane warnings were in effect over a 400-mile stretch of coastline from south of Corpus Christi to Morgan City, La. Tropical storm warnings extended south almost to the Mexican border and east to the Mississippi-Alabama line, including New Orleans.

Most of the evacuations were limited to sections of Harris County outside Houston, as well as nearby bayous and Galveston Bay. But the 2 million residents of the city itself and 1 million in other areas of the county were asked to remain at home.

Authorities hoped to avoid the panic of three years ago, when evacuations ordered in advance of Hurricane Rita sent millions scurrying in fright and caused a monumental traffic jam so big that cars ran out of gas or overheated. Ultimately, the evacuation proved deadlier than the storm itself. A total of 110 people died during the exodus, including 23 nursing home patients whose bus burst into flames while stuck in traffic.

This time, traffic was bumper-to-bumper on the freeway leading away from Galveston immediately after the evacuation order, but by late afternoon, many evacuees had made it past Houston, to the north. And just in time: Waves were already inundating the beach on one end of Galveston Island.

Some gas stations began running out of fuel, but fuel trucks were called in to replenish them.

At 5 p.m. EDT, the storm was centered about 400 miles east of Galveston, moving to the west at 10 mph.

The oil and gas industry was closely watching the storm because it was headed straight for the nation's biggest complex of refineries and petrochemical plants. The upper Texas coast accounts for one-fifth of U.S. refining capacity.

Wholesale gasoline prices spiked 30 percent Thursday, or nearly $1 a gallon, out of fear of what Ike might do. That means motorists can expect higher prices at the pump, though how much higher depends largely on how long refineries are shuttered after the storm.

Exxon Mobil Corp., Valero Energy Corp., ConocoPhillips and Marathon Oil Co. began halting operations as Ike closed in. Dow Chemical Co. started closing up its enormous Freeport complex, home to 75 plants producing some 27 billion pounds of chemical products each year.

BASF, the world's largest chemical company with 14 manufacturing sites in the Gulf Coast region, also began shutting down some operations. Spokesman Daniel Pepitone said each site has a hurricane plan that outlines detailed steps for securing plants, and precautions such as tying down hoses and taking down scaffolding began days ago.

Industry officials said their refineries and chemical plants are designed to withstand high winds. But power outages could still knock them out of service.

Ike would be the first major hurricane to hit a U.S. metropolitan area since Katrina devastated New Orleans three years ago. For Houston, it would be the first major hurricane since Alicia in August 1983 came ashore on Galveston Island, killing 21 people and causing $2 billion in damage.

Ike is huge, taking up nearly 40 percent of the Gulf. The National Hurricane Center said tropical storm-force winds of at least 39 mph extended across more than 510 miles, and hurricane-force winds of at least 74 mph stretched for 220 miles. A typical storm has tropical storm-force winds stretching only 300 miles.

Officials worried that after Labor Day's Hurricane Gustav proved to be a dud in Texas, people wouldn't take the warnings seriously.

"The most important message I can send is do not take this storm lightly," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said. "Do not look back at Gustav and say, `Well, that turned out to be not as bad as some people feared, therefore, I'm going to gamble with this storm."'

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THURSDAY 9/11/2008 11:30 AM
Hurricane warning, mandatory evacuations issued ahead of Ike
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - The mayor of Galveston, Texas, has ordered a mandatory evacuation of the island city and a hurricane warning is in effect for most of the Texas coast ahead of Hurricane Ike's projected arrival this weekend.

Mandatory evacuation orders have also been issued for tens of thousands of people in low-lying areas of Harris County, where Houston is located. Evacuation orders are also in effect for an area home to more than 320,000 people between Houston and the Louisiana state line.

The stronger side of the storm is currently projected to hit the area surrounding the Houston. One meteorologist says Ike's surge could affect at least 100 miles of the Texas coast.

A city spokesman tells The Associated Press that it expects "to see some flooding based solely on the surge in some low-lying areas." The city's skyscrapers, the nation's biggest refinery and NASA's Johnson Space Center lie in areas that could be vulnerable to wind and flooding from the storm.

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THURSDAY 9/11/2008 11:00 AM
Ike growing larger, but hasn't strengthened
Information from The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - A hurricane warning has been issued for the Gulf Coast from central Louisiana to most of the Texas coastline.

Ike is getting bigger, but not stronger just yet as it makes its way toward land.

Ike remains a Category 2 storm with winds nearing 100 miles-an-hour. It's expected to strengthen into a major hurricane prior to reaching the coastline.

Forecasters say the center of the storm should be very near the coast by late tomorrow. But since Ike is such a large storm, with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 115 miles, Texas will be feeling the its effects long before the center reaches the coast.

As of 11 a.m. Eastern time, Ike was about 580 miles east-southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, and about 470 miles east-southeast of Galveston, Texas. It's moving toward the coast at about 10 miles-an-hour.

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THURSDAY 9/11/2008 5:00 AM
Ike heading toward Texas
Information from The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - After a deadly and destructive trip across the Caribbean, Hurricane Ike began to move across the Gulf of Mexico, where it was expected to strengthen before plowing into Texas.

In Texas, Ike was expected to make landfall over the weekend somewhere between Corpus Christi and Houston, creating the potential for heavy punishment for Houston. Some forecasts said Ike could strengthen to a fearsome Category 4 hurricane with winds of at least 131 mph over the Gulf of Mexico, and emergency officials warned it could drive a storm surge as high as 18 feet.

Four counties south and east of Houston have announced mandatory or voluntary evacuations, and authorities began moving weak and chronically ill patients by bus to San Antonio, about 190 miles from Houston.

The oil and gas industry was also closely watching Ike, fearing damage to the very heart of its operations.

Texas is home to 26 refineries that account for a fourth of U.S. refining capacity, and most are clustered along the Gulf Coast in places such as Houston, Port Arthur and Corpus Christi.

Exxon Mobil Corp.'s plant in Baytown, outside Houston, is the nation's largest refinery. Dow Chemical has a huge operation just north of Corpus Christi.

Refineries are built to withstand high winds, but flooding can disrupt operations and power outages can shut down equipment for days or weeks. An extended shutdown could lead to higher gasoline prices.

Ike has already killed at least 80 people in the Caribbean. In Cuba, Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura said Wednesday that the storm damaged at least 27,000 homes in eastern Cuba, but that tally will rise sharply because it does not include Havana or many other regions where officials were still battling flood waters as they struggle to catalog losses.

Early Thursday, Ike was a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 100 mph. But the National Hurricane Center said Ike was expected to get stronger and could become a Category 3 hurricane later Thursday or on Friday.

A tropical storm warning was extended Thursday to include the Mississippi-Alabama border, New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain and going westward to areas east of Cameron, La. A hurricane watch was in effect from Cameron to Port Mansfield, Texas.


At 5 a.m. EDT Thursday, Ike was churning about 620 miles east of Brownsville, Texas, and moving west-northwest near 9 mph.

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WEDNESDAY 9/10/2008 6:00 PM
Evacuations begin in Texas ahead of Hurricane Ike
Information from The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - Officials in Texas are evacuating the most vulnerable citizens as Hurricane Ike takes aim at the Gulf Coast.

The frail and elderly are being put aboard buses as authorities warn 1 million others to head inland.

Ike is expected to blow ashore early Saturday somewhere between Corpus Christi and Houston, and some forecasts say it could become a Category 4 storm, with winds of at least 131 miles an hour.

Four counties south and east of Houston have announced mandatory or voluntary evacuations, and authorities are moving weak and chronically ill patients by bus to San Antonio.

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WEDNESDAY 9/10/2008 2:00 PM
Forecasters: Hurricane Ike getting stronger
Information from The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - Hurricane Ike has become a Category 2 storm as it feeds on warm Gulf waters and makes its way to Texas.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami say the storm has top sustained winds of about 100 mph and is on track to hit the Texas coast Saturday morning.

The storm is about 255 miles west of Key West, Fla., and is moving toward the northwest at about 13 mph.

South Texas is already getting ready for Ike. Some schools have called off classes through the end of the week, and medically fragile residents are getting on buses to head north. Officials also opened up a shoulder lane on Interstate 37 to accommodate heavier traffic as residents decide to evacuate.

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WEDNESDAY 9/10/2008 1:00 PM
Ike gains strength over Gulf, aims for Texas
Information from The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - Hurricane Ike is continuing its crawl across the Gulf of Mexico.

The storm is centered about 225 miles west-southwest of Key West, Florida, and about 430 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. It's moving toward the northwest at eight miles an hour.

The hurricane is still a Category 1, with maximum sustained winds nearing 90 miles-an-hour. It could grow into a major Category 3 storm before hitting Texas or northern Mexico on Saturday.

Ike has already killed 80 people in the Caribbean, including four in Cuba. Cuban state media report some 2.6 million people have sought refuge from Ike. The storm has shredded hundreds of homes across the country and left behind major power outages.

Meanwhile, about 7,500 National Guard members are on standby in Texas and coastal evacuations are expected.

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WEDNESDAY 9/10/2008 11:00 AM
Keys officials: Ike caused 'minimal' damage
Information from The Associated Press

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - Emergency management officials say Hurricane Ike caused "minimal" damage to the Florida Keys.

Authorities in Monroe County said Wednesday they have finished their assessments of the destruction after the storm skirted by the chain of islands earlier this week.

Officials are warning residents who are driving home to be cautious, as the outer fringes of Ike may bring bouts of strong winds and rainfall. They say it's still not safe for people or boats to be in the water.

Tourism officials ask that visitors wait until Thursday to come to the Keys.

Hurricane Ike killed at least 80 people in the Caribbean and ravaged homes in Cuba. As it charges toward the Texas coast, officials are preparing to evacuate residents who could be in the storm's path.

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TUESDAY 9/9/2008 8:00 AM
Hurricane Ike enters Gulf; on path for Texas
Information from The Associated Press

McALLEN, Texas (AP) - As Hurricane Ike charged into the Gulf's fueling waters and toward the Texas coast, officials prepared Wednesday to evacuate the first of 1 million residents who could be in the way of the storm's path.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center predicted Ike, which has already raked the Caribbean and Cuba, would feed on the Gulf's warm waters and intensify before slamming into Texas somewhere near Corpus Christi early Saturday morning.

If Texas officials order a mandatory exodus, it would be the first large-scale evacuation in South Texas history. State and county officials let people decide for themselves whether to leave a hurricane area until just before Hurricane Rita struck the Gulf Coast in 2005. Now county officials can order people out of harm's way.

Ike has already killed at least 80 people in the Caribbean and ravaged homes in Cuba. As it left Cuba Tuesday, the storm delivered a punishing blow to towns such as Los Palacios, which already suffered a direct hit from Category 4 Hurricane Gustav on Aug. 30.

At 8 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Ike was a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds near 85 mph, but was expected to strengthen. The storm was centered about 125 miles north of Cuba's western tip and moving west-northwest near 8 mph. Category 1 storms have winds between 75 mph and 95 mph.

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TUESDAY 9/9/2008 8:00 PM
Hurricane Ike takes aim at South Texas
Information from The Associated Press

McALLEN, Texas (AP) - With Hurricane Ike steaming into the Gulf of Mexico, Texas emergency officials Tuesday stood ready to order 1 million people evacuated from the impoverished Rio Grande Valley and tried to convince tens of thousands of illegal immigrants that they have less to fear from the Border Patrol than from the storm.

Emergency planning officials were meeting all day to decide if and when to announce a mandatory evacuation for coastal counties close to the Mexican border.

With forecasts showing Ike blowing ashore this weekend, authorities lined up nearly 1,000 buses in case they are needed to move out the many poor and elderly people who have no cars.

Federal authorities gave assurances they would not check people's immigration status at evacuation loading zones or inland checkpoints. But residents were skeptical, and there were worries that many illegal immigrants would refuse to board buses and go to shelters for fear of getting arrested and deported.

At 8 p.m. EDT, Ike was about 95 miles west of Havana, Cuba, moving west-northwest at 10 mph with sustained winds near 75 mph. It was expected to cross the Gulf of Mexico, strengthening to a Category 3 with winds of up to 130 mph.

Forecasters said that it could hit on Saturday morning just about anywhere along the Texas coast, with the most likely spot close to the Corpus Christi area.

Areas from Matagorda Bay to Corpus Christi and south to Brownsville - about 250 miles of coastline - were told to prepare for possible mandatory evacuation.

On Tuesday, Ike roared across Cuba, ravaging homes, killing at least four people and forcing 1.2 million to evacuate.

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TUESDAY 9/9/2008 5:00 PM
Ike emerges in Gulf of Mexico
Information from The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - The eye of Hurricane Ike has cleared Cuba and has emerged in the Gulf of Mexico.

After ripping across the island nation it is just barely a hurricane, with 75-mile-an-hour winds, but forecasters think it will gain power again, possibly becoming a major hurricane, before hitting the U.S. Gulf Coast or northern Mexico sometime this weekend.

At 5 P.M. Eastern time, the National Hurricane Center reports Ike's center was just off the northern coast of western Cuba. The storm is moving toward the west-northwest at nearly 10 miles-per-hour.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center. Tropical storm force winds extend outward as far 175 miles.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Florida Keys. Isolated tornadoes and waterspouts are possible over the Florida and extreme South Florida through tonight.

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TUESDAY 9/9/2008 4:00 PM
Buildings destroyed, power out as Ike hits Cuba
Information from The Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) - Streets have been empty in Cuba's capital, as Hurricane Ike makes a last pass over the island nation.

The hurricane first hit eastern Cuba as a Category 3 storm yesterday, then landed on western Cuba as a Category 1 today. Ike is blamed for at least four deaths in Cuba.

Winds howled and heavy rains fell in old Havana. Towering waves broke over a seaside promenade, near historic and aging buildings.

Roadways have been strewn with tree branches and rocks, and the rubble from crumbling balconies litters sidewalks.

In another Cuban city, old buildings had tumbled into rubble and colonial columns fell. One official says about 300 homes are destroyed, with hundreds more damaged.

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TUESDAY 9/9/2008 11:13 PM
Forecasters: Ike crashes into western Cuba
Information from The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami say the eye of Hurricane Ike has powered ashore in western Cuba's province of Pinal del Rio.


The center of the Category 1 storm hit land in the extreme southeastern part of the Cuban province around 10:30 a.m. EDT Tuesday. At least 1.2 million people have evacuated the island nation, and the storm is ravaging homes and fragile buildings.

Residents in Texas and northern Mexico are bracing for a possible weekend hit from Ike. The storm is being blamed for at least 79 deaths in the Caribbean and four in Cuba.

Cuba is getting pounded by Ike on the heels of Hurricane Gustav. Gustav tore across western Cuba as a monstrous Category 4 hurricane on Aug. 30 and caused billions of dollars in damage.

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TUESDAY 9/9/2008 11:00 PM
Ike kills 4 in Cuba
Information from The Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) - Hurricane Ike roared ashore south of Cuba's densely populated capital of aging buildings Tuesday after tearing across the island nation, ravaging homes, killing at least four people and forcing 1.2 million to evacuate.

Residents in Texas and northern Mexico braced for a weekend hit from Ike, which has already killed at least 79 people in the Caribbean.

Winds howled and heavy rains fell across Havana, where streets were empty Tuesday morning. Towering waves broke over the graceful Malecon seaside promenade, which police barricaded off late Monday. Many of the historic apartment buildings along its length are in poor repair and vulnerable to collapse.

Cuba, which has carried out well-executed evacuations for years, ordered hundreds of thousands of people - more than a tenth of its 11 million people - to seek safety with friends and relatives or at government shelters, state television reported.

State television reported that Ike killed four people in Cuba - the island's first storm deaths this year. Two men were killed removing an antenna from a roof, a woman died when her home collapsed and a man was killed by a falling tree.

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), Ike was located 55 miles (90 kilometers) southwest of Havana, and was moving to the west-northwest at 13 mph (21 kph). It had maximum sustained winds near 80 mph (130 kph).

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MONDAY 9/8/2008 5:00 PM
Hurricane Ike weakens to Cat. 1 along Cuba coast
Information from The Associated Press


MIAMI (AP) - The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Ike has weakened to a Category 1 storm as it moves along Cuba's southern coast.

At 5 p.m. Monday, Ike's center was located about 45 miles southeast of Cienfuegos, Cuba. The storm was moving toward the west near 14 miles-per-hour, and its maximum sustained winds had dropped to near 80 miles-per-hour.

The storm's center was expected to continue along the coast Monday night and over western Cuba the next day. It was forecast to emerge over the Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday night.

A hurricane warning for the Florida Keys has been discontinued.

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MONDAY 9/8/2008 4:05 PM
Deadly Ike on the move
Information from The Associated Press

CAMAGUEY, Cuba (AP) - Deadly Hurricane Ike continues its rampage through the Caribbean, with forecasters now warning it could hit Louisiana or Texas this weekend.

The National Hurricane Center says the storm -- now a Category 2 -- has moved just offshore from Cuba, giving it fuel to maintain its strength over the island. Forecaster Felix Garcia says because Ike is over warm waters, "it has the potential to become a lot stronger."

The storm has already knocked down utility poles and blown apart some older buildings, and is now forecast to hit Havana. No deaths have been reported in Cuba.

An evacuation order for the Florida Keys has expired, but officials are urging people who've left to stay away until Wednesday.

Forecasters warn that Ike could come ashore along the Gulf Coast over the weekend -- possibly in the vicinity of Houston.

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MONDAY 9/8/2008 2:30 PM
Hurricane Ike on track to veer away from Keys
Information from The Associated Press

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - Authorities called off evacuation orders for the Florida Keys on Monday as a ferocious Hurricane Ike shifted south over Cuba and appeared on track to miss the low-lying U.S. island chain.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warned that it was still too early to tell where Ike would strike after entering the southeastern Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday night. Gulf Coast communities as far away as Texas were keeping a nervous eye on the storm, especially in Louisiana, where residents are still recovering from Hurricane Gustav.

Evacuation orders that had 15,000 tourists flee the Keys over the weekend were set to expire at noon Monday. Authorities suggested tourists wait until Wednesday to return and urged residents who had not left to stay indoors until any errant squalls passed.

A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch remained in effect for the Keys, though Ike's expected track was well south and west of the islands.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Ike roared ashore in eastern Cuba Sunday night, slamming into Holguin province at 9:45 p.m. EDT as a dangerous Category 3 storm. The hurricane weakened to a Category 2 storm early Monday as it moved over Cuba, with wind speeds still at about 100 mph.

Ike's winds and massive storm surge ripped apart houses and toppled trees Monday in Cuba as it headed across the country toward Havana and its historic but decaying old buildings. More than 770,000 Cubans evacuated to shelters or higher ground.

Ike tore through Cuba after roaring across the Caribbean, killing at least 58 people in Haiti. Forecasters had the storm track continuing west over Cuba's western coast before taking aim at the Gulf of Mexico.

And once again, New Orleans - still recovering from the weaker-than-expected Hurricane Gustav last week - could be in the crosshairs as Ike winds through its uncertain path.

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MONDAY 9/8/2008 11:43 PM
Evacuation orders canceled for Florida Keys
Information from The Associated Press

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - Monroe County authorities have canceled their evacuation orders for residents of the Florida Keys ahead of Hurricane Ike.

According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the storm's expected track will be well south and west of the Keys.

The evacuation orders will expire at noon Monday. A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch remain in effect for the island chain.

Residents are urged to stay indoors. Meteorologists say Ike's rain bands may begin bringing wind and rain into the Keys on Monday afternoon. Hospitals remain closed.

Officials say evacuees should wait to return home until the possibility of tropical storm force winds is past. Meteorologists say that should be by Wednesday morning.

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SUNDAY 9/7/2008 6:10 PM
Killer Ike blasts Bahamas, aims at Cuba
Information from The Associated Press

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) - Ike roared across low-lying islands Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane, destroying homes, sweeping away boats and bringing more rain to waterlogged communities in Haiti, where at least 48 people died in the floods.

Slamming into the southern Bahamas, Ike bore down on Cuba on a path that could hit Havana head-on, and hundreds of thousands evacuated to shelters or higher ground. To the north, residents of the Florida Keys fled up a narrow highway, fearful that the "extremely dangerous" hurricane could hit them Tuesday.

The center of the hurricane hit the Bahamas' Great Inagua island. At 5 p.m. EDT, Ike weakened slightly to a Category 3 hurricane as it bore down on Cuba, still about 75 miles from Guantanamo and moving west at 14 mph. Its eye was west of Great Inagua Island in the southeastern Bahamas, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center projected Ike's eye would strike Cuba's northern coast Sunday night and possibly hit Havana, the capital of 2 million people with many vulnerable old buildings, by Monday night.

In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin prepared for the possibility of more havoc only days after an historic, life-saving evacuation of more than 2 million people from Hurricane Gustav.

"Our citizens are weary and they're tired and they have spent a lot of money evacuating," Nagin worried. "It will be very difficult to move the kind of numbers out of this city that we moved during Gustav."

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SUNDAY 9/7/2008 5:00 PM
Ike Category 3 hurricane nearing Cuba
Information from The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - National Hurricane Center says Ike weakens to Category 3 hurricane with winds near 120 mph approaching eastern Cuba.

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SUNDAY 9/7/2008 4:00 PM
Collier County Declares a State of Emergency

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. - The Collier County Board of County Commissioners have declared a State of Emergency. At a Sunday afternoon meeting the State of Emergency was declared.

No curfews, evacuations or closures in place for County. The Collier County Emergency Operations Center is monitoring Hurricane Ike.

The current projected storm track will have the storm miss Collier County. But Commissioners wanted to stress preparedness for county residents and urge them to remain guarded and monitor storm updates regularly.

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SUNDAY 9/7/2008 2:05 PM
Ike just west of Great Inagua Island in the Bahamas
Information from The Associated Press

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - Powerful Hurricane Ike rolled down an uncertain path Sunday that may lead to the U.S. Gulf Coast late this week, forcing emergency officials to pay attention and leaving millions of people from Florida to Mexico to wonder where it will eventually strike.

Officials in the Florida Keys started a phased evacuation for residents Sunday morning after telling visitors a day earlier to get out. Ike, a dangerous Category 4 storm with winds early Sunday of near 135 mph, was forecast to affect the Keys starting Monday night on a potential track for the central Gulf.

Ike roared across the low-lying Turks and Caicos island chain before dawn Sunday as people in the British territory sought refuge in emergency shelters or in their homes.

At 2 p.m. EDT, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Ike's eye was just west of Great Inagua Island in the Bahamas. It was moving west about 13 mph on a path that was expected to have it move away from the southeastern Bahamas Sunday afternoon.

The center said a hurricane watch was issued at 11 a.m. for the Florida Keys from Ocean Reef, Fla. southward, including the Dry Tortugas.

"These storms have a mind of their own," Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said after a meeting Saturday with mayors and emergency officials. "There are no rules, so what we have to do is be prepared, be smart, vigilant and alert."

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SUNDAY 9/7/2008 1:55 PM
President Bush declares a State of Emergency in Florida keys

WHITE HOUSE - President Bush declared a state of emergency for Monroe County on Sunday. The Florida keys are in Monroe County.

The State of Emergency is due to any problems from Hurricane Ike.

White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, to coordinate all disaster relief efforts."

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SUNDAY 9/7/2008 1:25 PM
Local governments less concerned about Ike

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA - Local governments are apparently relaxing a little bit due to the current forecast tracks of Hurricane Ike.

The Lee County Emergency Operations Center will not go to Level 1 Activation status on Monday, September 8. The Lee EOC was expected to open.

The Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners canceled their Special Meeting originally scheduled for Monday.

Sunday afternoon the National Hurricane Center had Southwest Florida on the very edge of the Hurricane Ike forecast cone.

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SUNDAY 9/7/2008 11:40 AM
Ike blasts Turks and Caicos

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos (AP) - Ike ripped off roofs, sank boats and blocked the road for aid to reach a flooded Haitian city on Sunday as it roared over the southern Bahamas as a ferocious Category 4 hurricane. The Florida Keys evacuated and Cuba
prepared for a direct hit.

Turks and Caicos premier Michael Misick said Ike damaged more than 80 percent of the homes on Grand Turk and South Caicos islands. Hundreds lost their roofs and fishermen lost boats as the hurricane's eye passed just south of the small, low-lying islands.

People who didn't take refuge in shelters were cowering in closets and under stairwells and "just holding on for life. They got hit really, really bad," Misick said. "A lot of people have lost their house, and we will have to see what we can do to accommodate them."

It was too early to know of any deaths or injuries.

At 11 a.m. EDT, Ike's eye was just east of Great Inagua Island in the southeastern Bahamas, with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph (215 kph). It was moving west at 13 mph (21 kph) and was expected to remain a major hurricane as it approaches eastern Cuba, still about 130 miles (205 km) away.

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SUNDAY 9/7/2008 11:35 AM
Florida Keys placed under a hurricane watch

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - The Florida Keys are under a hurricane watch as Hurricane Ike approaches Cuba.

A watch means hurricane force winds of 74 mph or higher could
hit the low-lying island chain within 36 hours.

Evacuations began in Key West at 8 a.m. and will continue throughout the day. Evacuations begin at noon for the Middle Keys, and at 4 p.m. for the Upper Keys, including Key Largo. Visitors were told to leave Saturday.

Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi says he understands it's inconvenient but safety is the priority.

Still, the streets of Key West were practically empty Sunday morning, but not because of the storm - the town stays up late and sleeps late.

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SATURDAY 9/6/2008 5:05 PM
Hurricane Ike now a Category 4

MIAMI (AP) - The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Hurricane Ike has intensified to a dangerous Category 4 storm with winds sustained at 135 mph.

Winds had diminished earlier Saturday but gathered strength by 5 p.m. EDT. Ike is expected to pummel the low-lying British territory of Turks and Caicos first.

The governments of the Bahamas and Cuba have issued hurricane
warnings.

Forecasters say the storm is likely to strengthen as it approaches southern Florida by Monday.

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SATURDAY 9/6/2008 11:00 AM
Hurricane Ike down to Category 2 storm

MIAMI (AP) - The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Ike has been downgraded to a Category 2 storm with winds sustained at
110 mph.

Ike had reached the stronger Category 3 with winds of nearly 115 mph. However, the hurricane center says the storm is expected to intensify again as it approaches Cuba and southern Florida by Monday.

Turks and Caicos and the southern Bahamas appeared to be first in line to take a hit from Ike Saturday.

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SATURDAY 9/6/2008 11:00 AM
Threat of Ike dampens relief efforts in Haiti

GONAIVES, Haiti (AP) - Relief workers still haven't been able to reach thousands of people left stranded and hungry by Tropical Storm Hanna in Haiti. And now there's a threat of more rain from Hurricane Ike, for the flooded city of Gonaives.

More than 160 people have been confirmed dead in Haiti. Officials say a report of a higher death toll was based on an unconfirmed estimate.

Flooded roads have stood in the way of efforts to get food to those who need it, even as Ike threatens to trigger more deadly flooding.

A container ship chartered by the World Food Program arrived yesterday near Gonaives. It was guarded by Argentine peacekeepers with assault rifles. Within hours, the U.N. started distributing high-energy biscuits and water to emergency shelters. Operations were suspended at dark because it was considered too dangerous.

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SATURDAY 9/6/2008 10:00 AM
Ike forces evacuations in the Florida Keys

MIAMI, Fla. - Visitors are being ordered off of the Florida Keys, as Hurricane Ike approaches. And tomorrow, residents will start being evacuated.

The storm's most immediate threat is to the Turks and Caicos islands and the southeastern Bahamas. Forecasters say it could be over those islands by early tomorrow, before heading toward Cuba and then the Keys.

The airport in the Turks and Caicos is closing at noon today, stranding some people who've been trying to leave.

The Category-3 hurricane is bringing winds of 115 miles an hour.

There are fears that Ike could be the fiercest storm to hit south Florida since Andrew in 1992, which did more than 26 billion dollars in damage and left 65 people dead.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is putting supplies in place in Florida and along the Gulf Coast -- along with search and rescue crews and medical teams.

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SATURDAY 9/6/2008 9:45 AM
Many flee Turks and Caicos as 'Ike' approaches

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos (AP) - Hurricane Ike barreled toward the Turks and Caicos as a powerful Category 3 storm Saturday, prompting an exodus of tourists and residents from the normally idyllic Atlantic island chain.

Turks and Caicos and the southern Bahamas appeared to be first in line to take a hit from Ike, and many people decided they would be better off elsewhere. For some, the decision to flee came too late.

Authorities planned to close the airport at noon, and even with extra flights scheduled, some had trouble finding seats.

The low-lying island chain, a British overseas territory, was pummeled for four days by Hanna earlier this week. That storm caused widespread flooding, and knocked down trees, light poles and an important causeway that links North Caicos and Middle Caicos.

Premier Michael Misick toured some of the hardest-hit areas and pledged government aid while also warning people to heed the warnings about Ike.

Ike's eye was about 215 miles (335 kilometers) east of Grand Turk Island around dawn Saturday. It was moving west-southwest about 16 mph (25 kph) and had maximum sustained winds near 115 mph (185 kph). Forecasters said Ike could be near or over the Turks and Caicos and southeastern Bahamas by early Sunday.


Business in Providenciales covered windows with plywood, and most hotels closed and ordered tourists out.

Not everyone, however, was heading to the mainland. Many residents went about their business as usual - under mostly clear skies - and even a few tourists planned to stick it out. The airport in Providenciales was expected to close Saturday.

In the Bahamas, the government urged tourists to evacuate the sparsely populated southeastern islands.

"We are strongly encouraging all of our visitors to voluntarily evacuate," said Vernice Walkine, director general of the Tourism Ministry.

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FRIDAY 9/05/2008 5:00 PM
Information from The National Hurricane Center

Potentially dangerous Ike is heading toward the Bahamas.

A hurricane watch remains in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas.

Ike is moving toward the west-southwest. On this track, Ike could be near the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas early Sunday.

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FRIDAY 9/05/2008 4:30 PM
Florida Keys officials evacuate tourists, residents
Information from The Associated Press

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - Officials in the Florida Keys will begin a mandatory evacuation for all visitors starting Saturday morning as Hurricane Ike approaches.

The Monroe County Office of Emergency Management says visitors must leave starting at 9 a.m. A phased evacuation for residents will start Sunday morning. Key West and the lower Keys will be evacuated first. The middle and northern Keys will follow later in the day.

Tropical storm force winds could arrive in the Keys as early as Monday night.

Monroe County Sheriff Rick Roth says people shouldn't panic, but should not waste time securing their homes, businesses and boats.

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FRIDAY 9/05/2008 12:58 PM
Emergency declaration issued in Fla. for hurricane
Information from The Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Gov. Charlie Crist has issued an emergency declaration for the entire state of Florida in advance of Hurricane Ike.

Ike was still in the open Atlantic Ocean on Friday afternoon, but forecasts showed it could make landfall in Florida next week as a strong hurricane. It could also miss the state, as Tropical Storm Hanna did.

Crist said Floridians should be prepared for winds exceeding 115 mph, flash flooding, ocean rip currents and tornadoes.

Ike is the fifth hurricane of this season, and the fourth storm system in four weeks with the peninsula in its possible path.

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FRIDAY 9/05/2008 11:00 AM
Information from The Associated Press
Hurricane Ike is a monstrous storm looming out in the Atlantic. Ike is now a Category 3 hurricane. It could sideswipe Haiti this weekend.

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THURSDAY 9/04/2008 5:00 PM
Information from The National Hurricane Center

Ike is maintaining a well-defined eye, though cloud tops have warmed some in the eyewall recently.

Strong northeasterly shear is likely during the next day or so, which should cause weakening.

The hurricane's exact track is important because it could be impacted by cooler waters upwelled by Hanna.



Ike is expected to be a powerful hurricane as it approaches the Bahamas in a couple of days.

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THURSDAY 9/04/2008 11:00 AM
Information from The Associated Press

NASSAU, Bahamas - Hurricane Ike, a Category 4 storm, is advancing from the east.

By late Thursday morning, Ike had maximum sustained winds near 140 mph (220 kph). It was centered 525 miles (845 kilometers) northeast of the Leeward Islands and forecasters said it could reach the Bahamas by Monday. It was moving toward the west-northwest at 16 mph (26 kph).

Ike is the third major hurricane of the Atlantic season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

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WEDNESDAY 9/03/2008 4:50 PM
Information from The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - Hurricane Ike forms with winds of 80 mph; 5th hurricane of the Atlantic season.

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WEDNESDAY 9/03/2008 8:00 AM
Tropical Storm Ike cruising westward across the Atlantic
Information from The Associated Press

Tropical Storm Ike is cruising westward across the Atlantic with top winds near 65 mph (100 kph) and projected to near the Bahamas by Sunday as a hurricane. Just behind Ike was Tropical Storm Josephine, which gained a little strength with top winds near 60 mph (95 kph).

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TUESDAY 9/02/2008 11:00 AM
Ike strengthens a little over the Central Atlantic
Information from The National Hurricane Center

At 11:00 am the center of tropical storm Ike was located near latitude 18.9 north...longitude 45.0 west or about 1110 miles...1785 km...east of the Leeward Islands.

Ike is moving toward the west near 18 mph...30 km/hr...and this general motion is expected to continue during the next two days.


Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph...95 km/hr...with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours and Ike could become a hurricane on Wednesday.

Tropical Storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles...280 km from the Center.

Estimated minimum central pressure is 1002 MB...29.59 inches.

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MONDAY 9/01/2008 5:00 PM
MIAMI, Fla. (AP) - Forecasters say Tropical Storm Ike has formed in tropical Atlantic waters.

The ninth tropical storm of the season has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. At 5 p.m. EDT, the storm was located about 1,400 miles east of the Leeward Islands, and it was moving west near 16 mph.

The storm's projected course late Monday would take it toward the Bahamas over the next several days, but the paths of storms often vary from predictions made several days out.

Forecasters expect the storm to reach hurricane strength in the next 36 hours over warm Atlantic waters.


(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)