Latest News
| Recommended 
Ike Blog: Minute-by-minute 
02:33 PM CST on Thursday, December 18, 2008
This blog has details of Hurricane Ike's progress as it approached and then battered the Texas Gulf Coast.
9:03p: Two games between the Chicago Cubs and Astros that were postponed this weekend in Houston because of Hurricane Ike will now be played in Milwaukee. The Cubs and Astros will play at 7:05 p.m. on Sunday and 1:05 p.m. on Monday at Miller Park, with Houston being the home team. If the third game of the series is needed, it will be Sept. 29 at Houston. Chicago leads the NL Central and Houston is in wild-card race. The three-game set that was scheduled to begin Friday night in Houston was called off as the hurricane approached the Texas coast. (AP)
8:30p: KHOU-TV, which has been on the air with a round-the-clock newscast in the days leading up to Hurricane Ike, suffered a failure of its emergency power generator Saturday night, blacking out its Houston studio at around 8:15 p.m. Reporters in the field continued to broadcast for about 15 minutes until operations were shifted to another backup system at the KHOU weather center. The station lost all power and went off the air several minutes later. Millions of regular viewers have been unable to watch any television because of a widespread blackout through the region. The audio portion of KHOU's newscast had been carried by local radio stations and XM Satellite Radio nationally, and thousands around the world were keeping up with developments by watching the station's broadcast on the Internet. It was not clear when the station would return to the air.
• LINK: KHOU.com Web site
8:10p: There will be no commercial air service from Continental Airlines or Southwest Airlines at Houston's two airports on Sunday. Houston Airport System spokeswoman Marlene McClinton said both George Bush Intercontinental and Houston Hobby suffered major power outages during Hurricane Ike. Other carriers were still evaluating the possibility of restoring some service on Sunday. McClinton suggested that passengers check with their airline before traveling. "We did operate for corporate and general aviation traffic today at Hobby," McClinton said, noting that the airport runway lights were operational, but the terminals remained in the dark. "At IAH there is some power in some areas, but it is still a challenge for us," she said. (KHOU-TV)
7:15: The U.S. Minerals Management Service says there are two confirmed reports of drilling rigs adrift in the central Gulf of Mexico. Spokeswoman Eileen Angelico said Saturday the rigs are about 100 miles off the Louisiana coast. Then-Hurricane Ike landed near the nation's biggest complex of refineries and petrochemical plants. She says her agency, industry experts and the Coast Guard are monitoring the paths of the rigs. Regional director Lars Herbst says the rigs have been relatively stationary for several hours. He says they expect tugs to approach to secure the rigs when sea conditions allow. The Department of Energy says 13 Texas refineries had been shut down because of Ike. In Louisiana, refineries were just coming back online after Hurricane Gustav. (AP)
5:47p: At a news conference late Saturday afternoon, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett praised the work of rescue and relief workers in the hours after Hurricane Ike struck a powerful blow along the Texas Gulf Coast. He said FEMA has a plan in place to assist residents who have lost their homes. "We're not out of this yet, but we're certainly on the path," Emmett said,adding that the cooperation between local, state and federal agencies is "a model for the entire country." Houston Mayor Ed White said residents should continue to boil water for drinking purposes until further notice. He said work is under way to restore pressure to the city's water supply and to ensure its safety and integrity. He also said work continues to restore power to nearly 3 million customers who are blacked out. FEMA spokesman Dick Gifford said the emergency declaration signed by the president means that storm victims can apply for financial assistance for temporary housing. Homeowners are eligible to receive funding for repairs not covered by insurance. Other funds are available to cover personal property, transportation, and medical expenses. Gifford said there are only two ways to apply for assistance, at the FEMA Web site and by a toll-free telephone number. (WFAA.com)
• LINK: Apply for FEMA assistance online
• PHONE: Call 800-621-3362 to apply for FEMA assistance by telephone
5:27p: The Baltimore Ravens-Houston Texans game has been rescheduled to Nov. 9 after Reliant Stadium was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike. The Texans' home opener, was originally scheduled for Sunday, then postponed to Monday night as Ike approached the Gulf Coast. The storm slammed into Texas on Friday night and moved into Houston early Saturday morning. High wind ripped off pieces of the stadium's retractable roof and debris littered the inside. The Texans said alternate sites for the game were considered, but logistics made them impossible. (AP)
• LINK: Houston Texans Web site
3:50p: The center of Tropical Storm Ike is just north of Tyler moving NNE. Winds are still gusting in excess of 50 mph causing wind-driven rains, especially between Terrell and Tyler along Interstate 20. The rain is expected to persist through early evening in the DFW area and then shift to our northeast tonight. Trees and power lines have been downed in West Tawakoni in southern Hunt County. (Steve McCauley)
3:04p: Officials say more than 100 people have been rescued on Galveston Island since Hurricane Ike started to rip into Texas. Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc says 17 buildings and homes burned to ground during the height of Ike's fury because the storm's dangerous conditions prevented firefighters from reaching the structures to put out the flames. There is no water or electricity on the island, and the main hospital, the University of Texas Medical Branch, is flying critical care patients to other facilities because it could no longer care for them. The good news is there are no reports of deaths, although search teams continue to fan out and look for victims in flood waters. (Associated Press)
2:19p: Hurricane Ike created a wave of price spikes at gas stations across the country Saturday. Fears that the massive storm would cut off supply lent to wide disparities in prices state by state, and even block by block. Ike, coming two weeks after Hurricane Gustav, struck the Texas coast, a region thick with oil refineries that produce millions of gallons of gasoline for the country. The storm shut down 14 Texas refineries with a total capacity of 3.8 million barrels of crude a day. Gas prices soared as high as $4.99 in Knoxville, Tenn. The average cost for a gallon of gas nationwide could head back toward all-time highs of $4-per-gallon, reached over the summer when oil prices neared $150 a barrel. (Associated Press)
1:55p: The center of Ike is located midway between Palestine and Tyler moving to the NNE. The rainbands on the backside of Ike continue to sweep across the DFW area. Flash Flood Warnings have been issued from Jacksonville to Tyler to Quitman where very heavy rain can be expected for the next few hours. Flash flooding is not a major concern for DFW, but occasionally the winds could gust to 40 mph reducing visibilities in some of the heavier rainbands. (Steve McCauley)
1:29p: The search is on for a 19-year-old man swept out to sea Friday while walking on a jetty near Corpus Christi. The U.S. Coast Guard says Michael Moxley was with three other people on North Padre Island when a 6- to 8-foot wave hit the jetty and knocked him off his feet. The wave was part of the storm surge caused by Hurricane Ike, which also prevented the start of full search-and-rescue effort until Saturday. Coast Guard Petty Officer Josh Morales says flight crews left at daybreak Saturday to search coastal areas for Moxley. Another crew is preparing to go out later today. (Associated Press)
1:10p: Ike has weakened to a tropical storm over eastern Texas, but winds remain near 60 mph and heavy rains and tornadoes are still a threat. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm's center is just southeast of Palestine, Texas, and moving toward the north near 16 mph. Ike made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane over Galveston at 3:10 a.m. EDT. Roads in that part of the state are still impassable and emergency crews are just starting to assess the damage. The storm's first fatality was a woman killed north of Houston when a tree fell on her home. Officials don't know how many other people have died. (Associated Press)
12:48p: The rain and wind are continuing to pick up here in Ennis. It continues to be that sideways rain. As I turn into it, it takes your breath away. I don’t think we’re going to get street flooding. These winds are about 30 mph. The rain is getting heavier and heavier. I guess you’re going to be seeing this in the Dallas area in about 30 minutes. (WFAA-TV's Gary Reaves)
12:30p: There has been an increase in the rainfall intensity on the backside of Hurricane Ike. The center of Ike is now located just south of Palestine moving north. Since the rainfall intensity is increasing on the backside of the storm, rainfall totals in the eastern half of the DFW area could range from 1 to locally 2 inches with even heavier amounts to the east of the immediate area. Winds will be gusting in excess of 40 mph at times this afternoon through early evening.(Steve McCauley)
12:18p: The Federal Emergency Management Agency says search and rescue teams are at the ready in Houston, poised to go to the aid of those stranded by Hurricane Ike. But a FEMA spokesman, Mark Stone, says crews hadn't received any rescue calls by early Saturday afternoon. And Stone says teams don't "go out blindly" until calls come in. At a sports arena in Houston, tractor-trailers and large sport utility vehicles sat idle as the vast storm churned northward across the state. Stone says federal officials are now seeking to pinpoint the hardest-hit areas. Elsewhere in Texas, authorities say they have already been deluged by emergency calls from people on cell phones awaiting rescue from flooded homes. (Associated Press)
12:08p: The rain is coming down at a light to moderate pace in Tarrant County. A steady rain is falling in Fort Worth. Flooding is not an issue west of Fort Worth. Dallas and Fort Worth are under a flash flood watch. Light to moderate rain is falling in downtown Dallas. But heavier rain in definitely in the forecast. In Palestine, we have trees down. We have very heavy rain there. Ike is located right on top of Crockett. It's going to continue to slide off to the north, north east. (Pete Delkus)
12:03p: The American Red Cross is providing disaster mental health support at area shelters. Evacuees were glued to televisions last night as Hurricane Ike made landfall. Many are concerned for their loved ones that stayed behind, the condition of their homes and their community at large. (WFAA-TV newsroom)
11:51a:Rescue teams were poised to move in and help tens of thousands of people who decided not to evacuate before Hurricane Ike struck, President Bush said Saturday. "The storm has yet to pass and I know there are people concerned about their lives," Bush said from the South Lawn of the White House after he participated in video conference with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and David Paulison, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Some people didn't evacuate when asked," Bush said about the tens of thousands of people in Texas and Louisiana who may have to be rescued. "I've been briefed on the rescue teams there in the area. They're prepared to move as soon as weather conditions permit. Obviously, people on the ground there are sensitive to helping people and are fully prepared to do so." (Associated Press)
11:50a: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. (Associated Press)
11:20a: The center of Hurricane Ike is now located over Crockett, Texas, which is 40 miles west of Lufkin. It is moving north at 15 mph bringing increasing rain and wind to north Texas. Tornado warnings have been issued east of the the hurricane's track across far east Texas and Louisiana. Within the last hour a tornado warning was issued for a 90 mile stretch along the Texas-Louisiana border from just west of Sabine Pass to north of Jasper. Tropical tornados are usually not as powerful as our spring storms, but they tend to move very fast and are often hidden in heavy rain. (Steve McCauley)
11:10a:Officials in one southeast Texas county say they are trying to rescue families trapped by devastating floods from Hurricane Ike. Orange County Judge Carl Thibodeaux says rescue teams in dump trucks are plowing through deep water Saturday in a risky effort to help families stranded on roofs and in attics. Thibodeaux says the effort is a gamble but authorities have to do something. He says the flooding from Ike will be worse than Hurricane Rita, which ravaged the county near the Louisiana border in 2005. Floodwaters are as high as 8 feet in some areas. Thibodeaux expects it will be weeks before power is restored to parts of the county. (Associated Press)
10:30a:The center of Hurricane Ike is located just west of Lufkin and is moving NNE. This means the DFW area will continue to be on the weakest side of the storm. And with this track now even farther to east, rainfall amounts will be less than originally predicted with generally less than an inch west of the I35 Corridor with increasing amounts east of I35. Winds will be sustained between 25 and 35 mph with gusts in excess of 40 mph this afternoon and evening. The rain will come to an end before sunrise Sunday. (Steve McCauley)
10:04a:Houston residents are being asked to boil their water. Mayor Bill White says there's no indication that the city's water supply is contaminated, but it is reaching low pressure levels because of power outages affecting pumping stations. The city is recommending boiling any water from the tap before consuming it or using it for cooking. (Associated Press)
9:53a:The 22-man crew of a disabled freighter 100 miles off the coast of Galveston, Texas, has made it safely through the night. The Merchant Shipping Department for the Meditterian island of Cyprus reports the ship is no longer in danger and is waiting to be towed back to safe harbor. A tow boat is expected to meet up with the ship sometime after noon. Officials say the ship's Greek owners have been in communication with the ship every hour. The ship is a bulk carrier that's 167 meters long and carrying tons of petroleum coke. The crew includes two Greek nationals and 20 Ukrainian nationals. The ship experienced trouble after sailing out of harbor when two of its six fuel injection pumps broke down. (Associated Press)
9:53a:We have 23 cancellations so far. Flights are very much delayed. We carried out a check this morning to see that everything was tied down. We’re seeing gusts of wind of up to 25 mph. It’s never fun to travel in conditions like this. We’re asking people to be patient. We’re going to try and get people out as soon as possible. Safety is the number one concern. (Ken Capps, spokesman for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport)
9:44a:Galveston is covered with two to four feet of water and authorities are planning to close access to the island Saturday, state officials say. "You can go out, but you can't come in," Allison Castle, spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry, told reporters at the emergency operations center Saturday in Austin. Castle also said the U.S. Coast Guard is preparing to evacuate four critical care patients from the flooded University of Texas Medical Branch hospital. She said the Coast Guard is waiting for winds to drop below 50 mph before conducting the rescue operation. Castle said the Department of Public Safety and the Texas Department of Transportation are being dispatched to Galveston to shut down roads and assist people out. "Only emergency vehicles are going to be allowed on the island," she said. (Associated Press)
9:35a: Experts say Hurricane Ike's storm surges are less severe than originally predicted and the worst is probably over. Hydrologist Benton McGee from the U.S. Geological Survey says the highest storm surge will probably remain 13.5 feet at Sabine Pass in Texas. He says a 5-foot storm surge was recorded in the Houston area. Now the big concern is inland flooding. The surge at Galveston, where Ike made landfall, was about 11 feet. Forecasters had predicted a surge of up to 25 feet. That would've been the highest in recorded history in Texas -- above 1961's Hurricane Carla, which brought a 22-foot wall of water. It will take a few days before more definitive measurements are available. (Associated Press)
8:45a: It is raining here in downtown Ennis. This is just the beginning of it. We are expecting it to get much worse. We are 30 miles south of Dallas. We saw a lot of rain on the drive down here. Some people are beginning to hunker down. We saw some people come and get doughnuts. (WFAA-TV's Gary Reaves)
8:11a: The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Ike has weakened to a Category 1 storm but continues to pound the Texas coastline with winds near 90 mph as it moves inland. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm's center is just northeast of Conroe, Texas, about 40 miles north of Houston. Ike's center is moving toward the north near 18 mph after it made landfall at 3:10 a.m. EDT over Galveston. Along the coast, storm gusts are bending trees, waist-deep water overruns roadways and rattling windows keep uneasy residents awake. The storm has cut power to millions of people. Authorities won't know how badly the coast has been hit until after daybreak when rescue crews can safely search areas pounded by the storm. (Associated Press)
7:56a: President Bush says Hurricane Ike is a huge storm that has caused a lot of damage in Texas and parts of Louisiana. Bush said Saturday morning at the White House that he just had a video conference with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and disaster relief agency chief David Paulison. He says Chertoff will go to Texas when weather permits to help coordinate state, local and federal recovery efforts. The president noted that some people did not evacuate ahead of the storm even when authorities recommended it. He says rescue teams are prepared to get started once conditions are better. Bush also says officials are keeping tabs on a gasoline crisis so consumers are not gouged at the pump. (Associated Press)
7:58a: So far, Hurricane Ike is not bringing storm surges as severe as originally predicted. Wilson Shaffer, chief of the National Weather Service's evaluation division, tells The Associated Press that the highest surge so far was seen at Sabine Pass in Texas, at about 13.5 feet. Still, Ike continues to roar inland and could bring higher surges as it passes through. The surge at Galveston, where Ike made landfall, was about 11 feet, he said. Forecasters had predicted a surge of up to 25 feet. That would've been the highest in recorded history in Texas -- above 1961's Hurricane Carla, which brought a 22-foot wall of water. Shaffer says it will take a few days before tidal gauges provide more definitive measurements. (Associated Press)
7:18a: The Dallas Convention Center is filled to capacity right now. People spent the night there watching the weather on TV. We are at a Race Trac gas station at Forest and Central Expressway. A lot of the pumps have bags on them. It’s not because they are out of gas here. They are having some serious network problems. There are gas shortages in North Texas but Race Trac is experiencing network difficulties. Some stations are saying they need shipments today. We’ve not reason to believe that they won’t get those shipments. (WFAA-TV's Gary Reaves)
7a: The biggest fear in the wake of Hurricane Ike is that tens of thousands of people who defied orders to flee and will need to be rescued from submerged homes and neighborhoods. "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. (AP)
6:07a: The Dallas Convention Center is turning away evacuees from Hurricane Ike. While the center has room for 1,450 evacuees, all spaces are now taken at the largest of the North Texas facilities offering assistance to storm victims. Accomodations are still available at other shelters in the area. It has been a peaceful if somewhat restless night here; we're told that evacuees have had access to televisions to view overnight developments from the Gulf Coast. There is a language barrier with some of the Spanish-speaking evacuees who could not read the electronic highway signs directing them to assistance — signs posted only in English. Speaking through a translator, Evaristo Lopez said he was lost and did not know where to go. The American Red Cross is seeking bilingual volunteers who can assist at the shelters. (Gary Reaves in Dallas)
• Red Cross appeals for bilingual volunteers
• Apply to help at the Volunteer Center
4:59a: More than two hours after Hurricane Ike's eye passed Galveston Island, the back end of the storm is significantly stronger than when the storm arrived. From our vantage point on the 15th floor of the San Luis Hotel, the building is swaying like a cruise ship. Our emergency water supply in the bathtub is sloshing back-and-forth as the building rocks. (Jeremy Desel, KHOU-TV)
4:55a: A massive Hurricane Ike ravaged southeast Texas early today, battering the coast with driving rain and ferocious wind gusts as residents who decided too late they should have heeded calls to evacuate made futile calls for rescue. Though it would be daybreak before the storm's toll was clear, already, the damage was extensive. Thousands of homes and government buildings had flooded, roads were washed out and several fires burned unabated as crews could not reach them. But the biggest fear was that tens of thousands of people had defied orders to flee and would need to be rescued from submerged homes and neighborhoods. (AP)
4:39a: During a two-hour pre-dawn tour of Houston, we saw no serious damage inflicted by Hurricane Ike, but many roads were blocked by downed trees and other storm debris. We did not see anyone who was injured, although we did see several people outside trying to have some fun; we don't recommend that under these conditions. There is plenty of debris flying down. At one point, as we were in the Energy Alley section of downtown, we heard a large crash. Turning to see what happened, a large piece of plywood was flying through the air before it struck a Metro bus stop. As the sun starts to come up, police and fire officials ask the public to remain off the streets to keep the roads clear for emergency vehicles. (Jason Whitely in Houston)
• VIDEO: Jason Whitely reports
4:05a: The Houston Ship Channel toll bridge has been closed for safety reasons until further notice. In Corpus Christi, a 19-year-old man standing at the end of a jetty was killed when he was swept into the water by a wave. Another person who attempted to rescue the man was seriously hurt and was airlifted to a hospital for treatment. The body of the 19-year-old has not been recovered. (KHOU-TV)
3:30a: While Hurricane Ike will weaken as it moves into North Texas later today, it will still pack quite a punch. Wind gusts are already starting to pick up to the southwest of Dallas-Fort Worth. Showers will start in the south and will start to spread northward around 9 a.m. By early afternoon on Saturday, there will be plenty of rain with embedded thunderstorms possible in North Texas. This will be a prolonged rain event, which won't clear the area until after noon on Sunday. Dallas, Tarrant, and counties to the north and south can expect 2 to 4 inches of rain this weekend, with higher totals to the east. Any tornado threat should be well to the east and south of Dallas. All of North Texas is under a Tropical Storm Wind Warning for Saturday, with sustained winds up to 35 mph forecast through the D-FW area all day long. Winds could surge up to 55 mph in East Texas, closer to the center of Ike's remnants. (Meteorologist Greg Fields).
3:24a: Hurricane Ike shows little sign of weakening as it moves inland. It continues to pack top winds of 110 mph, just shy of a Category 3 storm as it moves toward the north-northwest at 10 mph. The center of the eye — about 40 or 50 miles wide — is over the center of Galveston Bay. Bands of heavy rain and wind are sweeping in a counterclockwise motion through the region. Some areas have had up to 7 inches of rainfall. (Dr. Neil Frank, KHOU-TV)
3:21a: The roof of the Casa el Dora Apartments in Deer Park was blown off during the storm, said city spokeswoman Sandra Watkins. "Our emergency personnel have gone in and successfully extracted the residents," she said. No one was hurt and the victims were taken to a shelter for their safety. Watkins said the community was experiencing 60-70 mph wind gusts. Deer Park is about 20 miles east of Houston. (KHOU-TV)
2:45a: Six feet of water is flooding the Galveston County Courthouse. (KHOU-TV)
3a: The center of the eye of Hurricane Ike made landfall on Galveston Island at 2:10 a.m. The eye is currently over Dickinson, between Galveston and Houston. A gust of 102 mph was reported in Anahuac, 40 miles east of Houston. Three people were hurt in when fire swept through Brennan's restaurant in Houston; high winds and rain hampered firefighting efforts. The fire victims — two adults and a child — suffered burns but were expected to survive. (KHOU-TV)
2:30a: The center of the eye of Hurricane Ike is 5 miles from landfall. Hurricane force winds are entering downtown Houston. CenterPoint Energy says there are 1.3 million customers without power in the Houston area. Five fire departments in Houston are not responding to calls for help because of the danger. (KHOU-TV)
2:08a: CenterPoint Energy now reports 1.3 million of its customers have lost power. "The outage count has continued to climb as the storm has moved into the area," said CenterPoint spokesman Floyd LeBlanc. "We projected over a million, but this hasn't slowed down yet," he said. "We're going to have a lot of work ahead of us, and it will be a long restoration process." Repair crews are standing by to restore power first to hospitals and public safety facilities. Some 7,000 additional workers from around the nation are poised to come to to the Houston area when it is safe to help with the work of restoring service. (KHOU-TV)
2:03a: Water is coming in on the ground floor of John Sealy Hospital in Galveston. Patients were evacuated from the facility earlier this week, but the emergency room remains open. There is also a bio-containment lab in another building on the University of Texas Medical Branch campus. Five fire districts in the City of Houston are being told not to respond to fires because of dangerous weather conditions. (KHOU-TV)
1:55a: A massive Hurricane Ike menaced the darkened Texas coast early today, ensuring a sleepless night for thousands who huddled and waited to find out if a gamble to face the storm head-on could cost them their lives. Before the eye even crossed land, the first bands were punishing. Wind-whipped waves surged over a 17-foot seawall in Galveston and filled streets with waist-high water. Homes were flooding, utilities said more than 4.5 million people were without power and there was fear hurricane-force winds could shatter the windows of the sparkling skyscrapers that define the skyline of America's fourth-largest city. Rescue crews worried daybreak would bring a nightmare scenario: Thousands who defied evacuation orders and became trapped in submerged communities. (AP)
1a: The eye of Hurricane Ike is 20 miles from the coast of Galveston. Eyewall winds — the strongest component of the Category 2 storm — have reached Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula. As winds battered downtown Houston, a popular restaurant burned to the ground. Brennan's of Houston specialized in New Orleans cuisine. Two people at the restaurant were taken to a hospital. Five people who were stranded by floodwaters on top of a lumber company building in Crystal Beach managed to get to safety in an adjoining building. The Houston area is under a flash flood warning and a tornado watch. (KHOU-TV)
12:40a: The historic Brennan's of Houston restaurant burned to the ground Friday night as Hurricane Ike batterred the city. Firefighters went into a defensive mode to save nearby structures when they realized that they would be unable to save the building housing the downtown eatery. (KHOU-TV)
• VIDEO: Jeremy Rogalski reports
12:30a: Hurricane Ike is about 30 miles off the coast of Galveston, still rated a Category 2 storm with winds up to 110 mph. Landfall was expected at 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Tides are up to 12 feet in Galveston. CenterPoint Energy estimates that 725,000 customers are without power. The electric company warns that it could be two to three weeks before service is restored to all areas. Emergency officials have equipment standing by in safe locations to begin rescue, repair and recovery efforts as soon as the storm passes. Coastal area residents who fled are being urged not to return until an all-clear is given. (KHOU-TV)
11:30p: Hurricane Ike is 40 miles off the coast of Galveston, but this strong Category 2 storm is already making an impact on the region. Galveston Mayor said the island's West End is completely under water, and that includes homes, docks and boats. There are reports from Crystal Beach that some residents who failed to heed evacuation orders are now stranded on rooftops as the water rises. Rain is falling at the rate of 2 inches an hour in some Houston-area communities. The entire area is under a tornado watch. locations. (KHOU-TV)
11:19p: A weary Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas was going to try and get some sleep at the city's emergency center at the San Luis Resort as Hurricane Ike was taking dead aim on Galveston. "We're going to get out early in the morning and start assessing the damage," she said. "We don't want anybody to come back to Galveston yet, and we hope that people who are inside stay inside for a couple of days." She said power has been disrupted to the entire city and she had no idea when it could be turned back on. "There are electric lines, trees, docks, boats — all over the place," Mayor Thomas said. She said three fires were burning in Galveston late Friday night, and weather conditions kept firefighters away. "The fires have had to burn themselves out," she said. The mayor also said water has inundated the west end of Galveston Island, where there is a lot of damage. "Until the water recedes, we will not know exactly the extent of the damage, but we believe there is serious damage to the entire island. (KHOU-TV)
• VIDEO: Watch the interview with Mayor Thomas
10:46p: Fears of a gasoline shortage are sending many motorists to the pumps — and pushing prices up. Overnight, the cost of unleaded gasoline jumped at many Dallas-area stations by at least 20 cents, and analysts like Bruce Bullock of Maguire Energy Institute worry it could go even higher. "If there's extensive flooding, or extensive problems getting power back, if that is the case, we could see gas go to $4, $4.50 a gallon," Bullock said. if Hurricane Ike delivers a crippling blow to Texas refineries and oil rigs, it could further squeeze the nation's gasoline stocks, which are already at their lowest level in seven years. (Jonathan Betz in Dallas)
• VIDEO: Jonathan Betz reports
10p: The eye of Hurricane Ike is a little less than three hours away from making landfall. Very heavy rain is falling in Galveston. The center of the storm is 95 miles off the coast. Maximum sustained winds are 110 mph. The National Hurricane Center is projecting that Ike will make landfall as a very powerful Category 2 or a minimal Category 3 storm. Ike will advance into Central Texas and still have tropical storm-strength winds as it passes to the east of Waco on Saturday afternoon. The projected path of the storm now takes it over Tyler, farther to the east than earlier thought. That's good news for Dallas-Fort Worth, because it should mean less rain and less powerful winds. By the noon hour on Saturday, rain will begin to move in on North Texas. It will intensify during the afternoon. Showers and storms will be widespread by 6 p.m., with some areas receiving torrential rains. North Texas should start to dry out by Sunday afternoon. (Chief Meteorologist Pete Delkus)
9:52p: The 22-man crew of a disabled freighter adrift in the Gulf of Mexico safely rode out the worst of Hurricane Ike and was waiting for a tow to land, the Coast Guard said. The 584-foot ship, carrying a load of petroleum coke, withstood 20-plus-foot waves and winds in excess of 90 mph, said Petty Officer Tom Atkeson. A tug boat was en route from Corpus Christi, steering clear of Ike, and expected to reach the ship around noon Saturday. (AP)
• Read the full story
8:31p: Angie Wright and her dog were at first planning to ride out Hurricane Ike on Galveston Island. However, as waters from the storm surge flooded streets and homes, she changed her mind. Wright said she called 911 for assistance, but claims dispatchers told her that rescuers would not take her dog, so she refused the help. As the water continued to rise to waist-deep levels, she called for help again. This time a pair of lifeguards from the Galveston Beach Patrol came to the rescue. The lifeguards used a surfboard to make their way down the street behind Parker Elementary and rescued Wright and her dog. “I am very happy, because I had no place to go,” said Wright. “I've been here for 15 years and never seen it that bad.” Wright was taken to the island's shelter of last resort at Ball High School. (Jeff McShan, KHOU-TV)
• VIDEO: Jeff McShan reports
8:30p: Hurricane Ike is 70 miles off the coast of Galveston, a very strong Category 2 storm. The National Hurricane Center says it could reach Category 3 strength by the time it makes landfall later tonight. Hurricane experts say, however, that the storm surge associated with Ike could be the equivilent of a Category 4 monster hurricane, and many low-lying areas of the Houston-Galveston area are in peril from floodwaters. A tornado watch has been issued for a large part of Southeast Texas until 10 a.m. Saturday. Ike is 600 miles wide — the distance between Houston and Panama City, Fla. Power outages have spread to 200,000 customers in the Houston area, according to CenterPoint Energy. That includes Galveston Island. (KHOU-TV)
7:30p: Hurricane Ike remains a very strong Category 2 storm located 80 miles southwest of Galveston. The National Hurricane Center says it could strengthen to a Category 3 by the time it makes landfall later tonight. An estimated 90,000 people remain behind in areas endangered by what could be a catastrophic storm surge, even though they were ordered to evacuate. Coast Guard helicopters plucked 60 people from High Island after they waited too long to leave and were trapped by floodwaters. (KHOU-TV)
7:25p: A 10 year-old boy became the first U.S. victim of Hurricane ike when a tree limb from a falling tree struck him in the head. It happened this morning outside the victim's home in Montgomery County. The boy’s father was trying to cut down a dead tree in the family’s yard in advance of Hurricane Ike. When the tree fell, an older brother tried to pull the boy out of the way but a limb from the tree struck the boy in the head. The unidentified child was taken by ambulance to Tomball Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. (KHOU-TV)
7p: CenterPoint Energy says 105,000 electric customers in the Houston area have already lost power. "I don't know if it's worst-case, but it's getting bad," said CenterPoint spokesman Floyd LeBlanc. "The outages are starting to stack up and the eye of the hurricane isn't even here yet." Galveston is feeling hurricane-force winds, and inland areas are being battered by tropical storm-force winds. The storm will likely make landfall between the Bolivar Peninsula and the east end of Galveston Island in a few hours. Curfews are in effect for many areas of the Houston area. (KHOU-TV)
6:31p: We have "hunkered down," as they say, at the Galveston County Emergency Operations Center in Dickinson. The county and the National Weather Service built this back in 2005 and intended it to hold up against a Category 5 hurricane, complete with storm surge. It's the only building on piers around here. The EOC is 22 feet above sea level, and I'm on the second floor. (KHOU-TV reporter Lee McGuire).
6:03p: Waves continue crashing up against the sea wall protecting Galveston Island. While water from the waves is flooding over the top, the water level itself remains below the top of the wall. Officials are now predicting a storm surge of 14 to 17 feet; that's down slightly from earlier predictions, but still about a foot over the sea wall. There is substantial flooding in parts of Galveston, with water waist-deep in some areas. The waves have been pounding the wall since Friday morning and the situation has worsened through the day. At this time, winds up to 50 mph are being recorded, with some debris flying from rooftoops. A large fire fueled by about 100,000 gallons of diesel is still burning at a yacht club on the east end of Galveston Island. (Jim Douglas in Galveston)
• VIDEO: Jim Douglas reports
5:45p: Southwest Airlines says it canceling all flights to and from Dallas Love Field on Saturday between 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. The airline says the decision is based on the impact of Hurricane Ike. Customers with tickets for this period can rebook without penalties. (WFAA.com)
• LINK: Southwest Airlines information about Hurricane Ike
5p: Any hope that Hurricane Ike would take a right hand turn and spare Galveston and Houston appear now to be dashed. This is an enormous hurricane — about 800 miles across. It's not very well-defined but approaching the coast about 135 miles southeast of Galveston moving to the northwest at 12 mph and packing strong Category 2 winds of 105 mph. It's expected that Ike will make landfall as a strong Category 2 hurricane about 1 a.m. Saturday, with winds about 110 mph, approaching Category 3 strength. From that point it moves inland, and by by 1 p.m. Saturday the storm will be about 60 miles east of Waco, still packing high winds. The remnants of Ike will continue to travel north, located over Sulphur Springs in East Texas about 9 p.m. Saturday. Showers and thunderstorms should begin to spread across North Texas by noon on Saturday. (Pete Delkus)
4:59p: A fire is raging out of control at the Galveston Yacht Club on the east end of Galveston Island. Thick, black smoke from the fire is enveloping the University of Texas Medical Branch Hospital. Firefighters are struggling to reach the fire, buffered by high winds, flooded streets and fencing. (KHOU-TV)
• VIDEO: Coverage from KHOU-TV
4:41p: The Dallas Independent School District opened two of its facilities at noon today with the intention of housing evacuees fleeing Hurricane Ike. Ellis Davis Field House at Jesse Owens Memorial Complex, 9191 South Polk Street and Alfred J. Loos Field House, 3815 Spring Valley Rd., will serve as temporary shelters for arriving evacuees. For more information about facilities that are open to evacuees, please call 211. As a result of housing evacuees at these two facilities, sites for volleyball games that are scheduled for tonight have changed. The site of the volleyball games between Skyline High School and Lake Highlands has been changed from Ellis Davis Field House to Skyline High School; the Sunset High School and Richardson site has been changed from Ellis Davis Field House to Sunset High School; W.T. White High School and Creekview High School site has changed from Alfred J. Loos Field House to Creekview High School; and Thomas Jefferson High School and Samuell High School site has changed from Alfred J. Loos Field House to Thomas Jefferson High School. For more information on athletic events, call the Department of Athletics at (972) 925-3310. (Dallas ISD)
4:37p: A fire is raging on Galveston Island. It is unclear whether firefighters are able to get to the fire because of Hurricane Ike. The location of the fire is unknown. (KHOU)
4:33p: 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. (Associated Press)
3:52p: Ike's 105-mph winds and potential 50-foot waves initially stopped the Coast Guard from attempting a risky helicopter rescue of 22 people aboard a 584-foot freighter that broke down in the path of the storm about 90 miles southeast of Galveston, Chief Petty Officer Mike O'Berry said. The ship was hauling petroleum coke used to fuel furnaces at steel plants. But midday Friday, the Coast Guard changed its mind and decided to stage a rescue. Petty Officer Tom Atkeson said rescue swimmers and Coast Guard and Air Force aircraft were on their way to reach the ship. Coast Guard helicopter crews plucked 60 people from the town of High Island on the Bolivar Peninsula, a 32-mile spit just up the coast from Galveston, after rising waters covered the only road, authorities said. "You can assume, to some degree, those people were surprised at the level of the storm surge," said John Simsen, Galveston County's emergency management coordinator. (Associated Press)
2:35p: The Dallas Convention Center is not taking any more evacuees. They are saving 250 beds for special needs people. The current registered head count at the Dallas Convention Center Shelter is 1189. Dallas Animal Services Pet Shelter update: 67 dogs, 8 cats, and 8 birds. Due to the potential of heavy rain and high winds, local residents should be reminded to review their family's emergency plans and secure lawn furniture, potted plants and garbage roll carts. People who are self-evacuating should call 211 to find out a list of area shelters. (WFAA-TV newsroom)
2:27p: State officials estimate 1.2 million Texans evacuated from their homes on their own. Another 12,500 left with state assistance. There's no estimate yet on the number of medical special needs evacuees who were moved. Nearly 80 shelters have been set up across Texas to accept evacuees. Governor Rick Perry's office says "Texas Task Force Ike" is ready and waiting in San Antonio to be sent as needed for "search and rescue" after the storm arrives. That task force includes more than 1,000 personnel and 500 vehicles. Up to 7,500 Texas National Guard members are activated to assist as needed. Areas of concern for flooding are Galveston, West Galveston Bay area, Texas City, Seabrook, NASA Bay, LaPorte, Bolivar Peninsula and Baytown. Perry's office says petrochemical plants in the Houston area remain a point of concern. (Associated Press)
1:29p: Hurricane Ike may still be in the Gulf of Mexico, but its economic impact has already made landfall, sending wholesale gasoline prices soaring Friday and straining the nation's fuel supply chain. Wholesale gasoline prices on the Gulf Coast moved even further into uncharted territory to around $4.85 a gallon on fears of vast fuel shortages as the hurricane honed in on the mass of refineries that line the upper Texas coast. The region accounts for about one-fifth of the nation's petroleum refining capacity. At least eight refineries had shut down or were powering down as Ike prepared to strike. Gas supply disruptions were being felt outside Texas, where Ike is expected to make landfall in the next 24 hours. Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe declared a state of emergency and said he expected temporary increases in gas prices over the next few days as pipelines into the state are shut down. (Associated Press)
1:19p: The storm is unusually large, and because of its great size, storm surge and gigantic waves that can flood low-lying areas are the biggest risk. The National Hurricane Center said tropical storm-force winds of at least 39 mph extended across 550 miles, and hurricane-force winds of at least 74 mph stretched for 240 miles. A typical storm has tropical storm-force winds stretching only 300 miles. At 2 p.m. EDT Friday, the Category 2 storm was centered about 165 miles southeast of Galveston, moving to the west-northwest near 12 mph. Forecasters warned it could become a Category 3 storm with winds of at least 111 mph before the eye strikes land. (Associated Press)
12:55p: So far 64 dogs, eight cats and five birds are being housed at a temporary facility. The Red Cross says they are in desperate need of volunteers and blood but they don't just want people to show up. They have training sessions. For more information go to: American Red Cross to (WFAA-TV's Janet St. James)
12:14p: Nearly 900 people now are making the Dallas Convention Center their temporary home. Among them are many families with young children. "It was a frustrating ride," said Marsha Morgan, who arrived in Dallas this morning with her four children, after a 9-hour drive from Houston. "They gave me snacks and toys," says 4-year-old Ja'Liek. In the eight Dallas County shelters there are now 1,520 temporary residents there and in Fort Worth there are about 100 people, according to the Red Cross. Those numbers are expected to rise throughout the day. (WFAA-TV's Janet St. James)
12:10p: For evacuees, it's a road trip many didn't budget for and were hoping not to make. In Corsicana, we haven't found information that gas prices have changed. Eric Martinez arrived this morning from Houston. It took six or seven hours to get out of Houston. "We haven't got any sleep. We've been up since yesterday, boarding up the house, making sure the gas line is closed," he said. I-45 behind us - you can see it's running very smoothly. (WFAA-TV's Brad Hawkins)
12p: Aircraft have been dispatched to the Gulf of Mexico to try to rescue 22 crewmen on a stalled freighter in the dangerous path of Hurricane Ike. Petty Officer Tom Atkeson says rescue swimmers were on board five Coast Guard and Air Force aircraft, including two helicopters, a Falcon jet and two Ospreys, expected to reach the ship by 1 p.m. CDT Friday. Twenty-two men were aboard the 584-foot freighter Antalina, adrift about 90 miles southeast of Galveston. The Coast Guard received a radio call for help just after 4 a.m. Friday. Atkeson says the aircraft, including some with hoist operations, are based at Hurlburt Air Force Base near Pensacola, Fla., and Coast Guard units in Mobile, Ala. Atkeson says the rescued crewmen will be transported to either Houston or Corpus Christi, depending on fuel and weather. (Associated Press)
11:24a: Despite a National Weather Service warning that they could "face certain death," some residents of Galveston and other low-lying Texas communities are determined to stay put as Hurricane Ike approaches. Emory Sallie says he's ridden out storms before and he doesn't believe the dire warnings. The 44-year-old says he's more worried about wind than flooding. He says "if the island is going to disappear, it has to be a tsunami." In the small coastal town of Surfside Beach, the water is already coming in and police have been using a dump truck to reach people. One woman's eyes grew misty as she explained that her husband won't leave with her. She says the waves have already flooded their home, but "there's no changing his mind." She says she'll pray and hope for the best, but she worries that "it's going to be a lot worse than he realizes, and then there's no way to get out." (Associated Press)
10:53a: Here's the latest on Hurricane Ike as the storm heads for the Galveston area: Governor Rick Perry's office says tropical storm winds have begun, with Ike's landfall expected early tomorrow. Perry's office says the eye of the storm is expected to cross just west of Galveston Bay and the Houston Ship Channel. That could create a storm surge over 16 feet in Galveston Bay, Sabine Lake and Port Arthur. Texas Task Force One rescue missions included evacuating more than 475 medical special needs patients and some family members by air and ambulances. Military aircraft were used to move about 70 patients, including ten critical care and ten neonatal patients, from the South East Texas Medical Center in Port Arthur -- which could be swamped. Harris County officials are urging anybody still in mandatory evacuation areas to leave immediately because the storm surge from Hurricane Ike is a "life or death matter." Authorities in the Houston area say shelters have been set up in Lufkin, Huntsville and Bryan-College Station. (Associated Press)
10:07a: President Bush arrived in Oklahoma today -- at Tinker Air Force Base -- and the talk turned to Hurricane Ike. Bush says he's monitoring Ike as it approaches the Texas coast. The president urged Texans to "listen carefully" to authorities in the Galveston area. Officials are calling for evacuation of Galveston and low-lying areas of Houston. At Tinker, Bush honored Dan Rooney of Tulsa and Karen Stark of Edmond for projects they created to help soldiers. He will also take part in a discussion about health care and attend a fund-raiser for Republican presidential nominee John McCain. (Associated Press)
9:41a: The Coast Guard began airlifting residents from their homes this morning at Bolivar Peninsula, Texas, to High Island after the wind and rain from Hurricane Ike became too much for the residents to withstand early Friday. Coast Guard Air Station Houston launched a rescue helicopter and crew to airlift and transport approximately 22 to 50 people. (WFAA-TV newsroom)
9:22a: More than 40 elderly Hurricane Ike evacuees from a Baytown nursing home found themselves not evacuating, but rather stuck on the buses sent to take them to safety. The residents of Goose Creek Rehab Center were bused from their facility to the George R. Brown Convention Center on a set of four school buses. From there they were to have been taken to a shelter in Dallas. However, the state did not have buses equipped to handle the transportation of the evacuees, many who are unable to walk on their own. As evacuation officials scrambled to find buses to take the nursing home residents to a shelter, the elderly evacuees waited aboard the buses that arrived at the center at 3 p.m. At 10 p.m., they were still waiting to be taken to safety. When efforts to find them new transportation and shelter were unsuccessful, nursing home employees looked at the possibility of allowing the people in their care to stay inside the convention center. Even so, convention center officials denied the frail evacuees access, citing liability issues. The nursing home administrator said that she didn't have any choice, but leave the residents on the buses. Some of the residents didn't realize where they were, some slept while others looked frustrated. Some were down-right frightened. (KHOU)
9:09a: Harris County officials are urging anybody still in the mandatory evacuation areas to leave immediately because the storm surge from Hurricane Ike is a "life or death matter." Harris County Judge Ed Emmett made the plea in Houston early Friday, telling residents to "get out this morning." He says roads are mostly clear and that gas stations that ran out of fuel late Thursday had been replenished. Residents of low-lying areas of Houston and surrounding Harris County are under mandatory evacuation orders. Emmett, the highest elected officials in the county, says shelters have been set up in Lufkin, Huntsville and Bryan-College Station. He said the Huntsville shelter was the hardest to reach because of traffic gridlock on Interstate 45. Mayor Bill White says city officials would make an announcement later in the day when they deemed highways no longer safe to use. (Associated Press)
9:05a: Sprawling Hurricane Ike strengthened today as it steamed through the Gulf of Mexico on track toward the Houston area. The massive system is already buffeting Texas and Louisiana. The National Weather Service warned residents of smaller structures on Galveston they could "face certain death" if they ignored an order to evacuate. Most left. (Associated Press)
8:39a:The Coast Guard says 22 people aboard a 584-foot freighter adrift in the Gulf of Mexico must ride out Hurricane Ike because it's too dangerous for a rescue attempt. Chief Petty Officer Mike O'Berry said Friday that high winds will prevent Coast Guard aircraft or ships from reaching the ship about 90 miles southeast of Galveston. The ship has lost propulsion, he says. No details were available on the name of the ship, which was hauling petroleum coke, or details on where it was headed. Ike's eye was forecast to strike somewhere near Galveston late Friday, but the massive system was already buffeting Texas and Louisiana. (Associated Press)
8:14a: At a televised news conference, Houston-area officials urged all citizens in coastal areas to evacuate as Hurricane Ike moves closer to shore. "This really is a life or death matter; if you live in one of the evacuation zones, get out," said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. "All the freeways are completely clear this morning. There is no reason if you live in an evacuation zone for you not to leave." Houston Mayor Ed White said buses were patrolling neighborhoods looking for anyone who needs a ride to safety. But he said conditions will deteriorate through the day. "Don't wait until noon to make a decision about whether you're going to evacuate," Mayor White said. "Now is the time to evacuate." (WFAA.com)
8a: Hurricane Ike continues to make its way toward the Texas Upper Coast. The center is now located 220 miles SE of Galveston. An oil rig in the NW Gulf is recording winds sustaining at 109 mph. Hurricane force winds extend 120 miles from the center of the storm. The outer rain bands are moving rapidly across southern Louisiana where several tornado warnings have been issued. (Steve McCauley)
7:10a: The Coast Guard says a freighter is stranded about 90 miles southeast of Galveston in the path of Hurricane Ike. The Coast Guard early today received a radio call for help about a 584-foot bulk freighter, which is carrying 22 people. Petty Officer Patrick Kelley said the ship — hauling petroleum coke — broke down in the path of the hurricane "in a potentially dangerous situation." Kelley said the vessel is so far offshore that a helicopter rescue is the only option, The Coast Guard is trying to determine if that is possible as hurricane winds increase. (Associated Press)
7:01a: People who live inland along the Gulf Coast have been asked to "hunker down" so that fellow Texans in the direct path of Hurricane Ike can move safely out of the way . The National Weather Service says some people living in Ike's path will face "certain death" if they fail to heed warnings to evacuate. (WFAA-TV)
6:52a: The water is already rising in the community of Surfside in Brazoria County. A surge from the Gulf of Mexico has pushed the level up about one foot in just 90 minutes, bringing with it driftwood and other debris flowing inland. Hurricane Ike is capable of producing swells 12 to 16 feet tall. (Amada Stanzilis, KENS-TV)
6:49a: Northbound traffic on Interstate 45, the primary hurricane evacuation route to Dallas, is slowing through Navarro and Ellis counties as motorists seek refuge. Heavy traffic is also reported on I-35 and I-20. (Alexa Conomos)
6:35a: The outer bands of Hurricane Ike are beginning to show up on radar about 60 miles southeast of Galveston. The center of the storm is 255 miles SE of Galveston moving WNW at 13 mph. Winds are currently gusting to 40 mph in Galveston, and by tonight, winds are expected to be in excess of 100 mph even in the Houston area. The tornado threat will increase across much of southeast Texas this afternoon and spread north across east Texas during the day Saturday. The storm is expected to pick up speed Saturday night with rapidly improving conditions statewide by Sunday afternoon.(Steve McCauley)
5a: Hurricane Ike has strengthened a little bit overnight with sustained winds of 105 mph as it moves WNW at 13 mph. It is located 265 miles SE of Galveston. The hurricane will make landfall around daybreak Saturday near Galveston with maximum winds around 115 mph and gusts to 140 mph. The storm will gradually weaken as it moves into North Texas during the day Saturday with the worst conditions expected Saturday afternoon into Saturday night. Winds will gust over 50 mph along with heavy rainfall. The tornado threat appears to be east of DFW at this time, but it will all depend on any wobble in the path of Ike once it makes landfall. (Steve McCauley)
1a: The eye of Hurricane Ike is located 300 miles southeast of Galveston, reports the National Weather Service. It is expected to continue moving west-northwest at 12 mph over the next 12 hours. (WFAA.com)
Latest News
Most Emailed Stories
Latest Video
Popular Stories
You must be logged in to contribute. Log in | Register Now!
You are logged in as screenname | Log Out
You are logged in, but do not have a "screen" name. Create a Screen Name