Has has strengthened some overnight, and will probably become a catecory 3 storm by landfall. Ike is no ordinary category 2 storm–it has a surge more reminiscent of a strong category 5 storm, and is coming into the Galveston Bay area at the worst possible angle. The government of Texas–both at the state and local level–really dropped the ball with this one. Evacuation orders were issued far too late, and the dangers were not emphasized by local officials. Tens of thousands of people remain in areas that may be inundated by Ike’s likely record storm surge, which could easily exceed 20 feet. This will be a catastrophic event, and the potential for loss of life is extremely high. If the storm tracks over or just to the west of Galveston Island, which currently appears extremely likely, there is a high likelihood that the entire island will be underwater for more than 10 hours. Looking at live video feeds from the area, it is truly disturbing the number of people who remain at the immediate coast. This storm will likely wreak catastrophic damage. I will update later on…Ike will be a name that is remembered for a long, long time…
