Hurricane Warnings

HURRICANE IKE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
903 AM CDT SAT SEP 13 2008
...IKE MOVING FURTHER INLAND...
.AT 800 AM CDT...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 30.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 95.3 WEST OR JUST NORTHEAST
OF CONROE TEXAS.  THIS POSITION IS ALSO ABOUT 20 MILES...SOUTH-
SOUTHEAST OF HUNTSVILLE...AND ABOUT 60 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF
LUFKIN TEXAS.
IKE IS NOW MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 18 MPH. A TURN
TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY...WITH A TURN
TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AND AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED EXPECTED
TONIGHT AND SUNDAY.  ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF IKE
WILL MOVE THROUGH EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN TEXAS TODAY...AND INTO
WESTERN ARKANSAS TONIGHT.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 90 MPH...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  IKE IS NOW A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
SCALE. ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AS THE CENTER MOVES FARTHER
INLAND. HOWEVER...IKE COULD REMAIN A HURRICANE INTO THIS AFTERNOON.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 125 MILES FROM THE
CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 260
MILES. HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF
THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA DURING THE PAST HOUR...AND HOUSTON-
HOBBY AIRPORT RECENTLY RECEIVED A WIND GUST OF 92 MPH. TROPICAL
STORM-FORCE WINDS ARE ALSO BEING REPORTED ALONG A LARGE STRETCH OF
THE UPPER TEXAS AND SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA COASTAL AREAS.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 962 MB...28.41 INCHES.
CONROE AIRPORT RECENTLY REPORTED A PRESSURE OF 962.4 MB...
28.42 INCHES...VERY NEAR THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE.
TXZ200-213-214-237-238-141415-
/O.CON.KHGX.HU.W.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-HARRIS-LIBERTY-
903 AM CDT SAT SEP 13 2008
...HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT...
...NEW INFORMATION...
UPDATED STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE SECTION.
UPDATED TORNADOES...INLAND FLOODING AND WINDS SECTIONS.
...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES OR MARINE AREAS:
BRAZORIA...CHAMBERS...GALVESTON...HARRIS...LIBERTY.
...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE ADDITIONAL HAZARDS.
FLOOD WATCH.
TORNADO WATCH.
...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40 TO 60 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 80 MPH WILL PERSIST
FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS ESPECIALLY EAST OF A LINE FROM FREEPORT TO
HOUSTON. PERSONS OUTSIDE OF THE MANDATORY EVACUATION AREAS WHO HAVE
NOT EVACUATED SHOULD PLAN TO SHELTER IN PLACE IN A WELL BUILT
STRUCTURE FOR THE DURATION OF THE STORM.
MOBILE HOMES AND HIGH RISE BUILDINGS WILL NOT BE SAFE FOR
SHELTERING. WINDS CAN BE AS MUCH AS 20 TO 30 MPH STRONGER AT THE TOP
OF A HIGH RISE THAN AT GROUND LEVEL.
GALVESTON COUNTY HAS A CURFEW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING.
THE CITY OF GALVESTON HAS ESTABLISHED A SHELTER OF LAST RESORT AT
BALL HIGH SCHOOL AT 4115 AVENUE O IN GALVESTON.
...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
TIDE LEVELS REPORTED BETWEEN 730 AM AND 830 AM SATURDAY:
ROLLOVER PASS - MISSING
HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL/BATTLESHIP TEXAS - MISSING
HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL/MANCHESTER - 12.4 FEET
MORGANS POINT - MISSING
CLEAR LAKE ENTRANCE - MISSING
EAGLE POINT - 9.0 FEET
NORTH JETTY - MISSING
PIER 21 - 6.6 FEET
PLEASURE PIER - 4.6 FEET
FREEPORT - 3.3 FEET
TIDE LEVELS REMAIN 10 TO 15 FEET ALONG THE WESTERN SHORE OF GALVESTON
BAY...WITH LEVELS OF 4 TO 12 FEET ALONG THE UPPER TEXAS COAST.  TIDE
LEVELS SHOULD SLOWLY SUBSIDE TODAY AS IKE MOVES FURTHER INLAND.
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THE STORM SURGE...AND POSSIBLY
ENTIRE COASTAL COMMUNITIES...WILL BE INUNDATED DURING THE PERIOD OF
PEAK STORM TIDE. MANY RESIDENCES OF AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION DIRECTLY ON
THE COAST WILL BE DESTROYED. WIDESPREAD AND DEVASTATING PERSONAL
PROPERTY DAMAGE IS LIKELY. VEHICLES LEFT BEHIND WILL LIKELY BE SWEPT
AWAY. NUMEROUS ROADS WILL BE SWAMPED...SOME MAY BE WASHED AWAY BY
THE WATER. ENTIRE FLOOD PRONE COASTAL COMMUNITIES WILL BE CUTOFF.
COASTAL RESIDENTS IN MULTI- STORY FACILITIES RISK BEING CUTOFF.
CONDITIONS WILL BE WORSENED BY BATTERING WAVES CLOSER TO THE COAST.
SUCH WAVES WILL EXACERBATE PROPERTY DAMAGE...WITH MASSIVE
DESTRUCTION OF HOMES...INCLUDING THOSE OF BLOCK CONSTRUCTION. DAMAGE
FROM BEACH EROSION COULD TAKE YEARS TO REPAIR.
HIGH TIDE TIMES:
MORGANS POINT...
SAT  2:59 PM.
CLEAR LAKE ENTRANCE...
SAT 10:43 AM.
EAGLE POINT...
SAT  8:32 AM.
PORT BOLIVAR...
SAT  3:00 PM.
GALVESTON CHANNEL...
SAT  2:46 PM.
GALVESTON PLEASURE PIER...
SAT  1:40 PM.
JAMAICA BEACH...
SAT  7:16 AM.
SAT  5:24 PM.
SAN LUIS PASS...
SAT  2:37 PM.
FREEPORT...
SAT  2:02 PM.
NOTE...TIDE LEVELS ARE REFERENCED FROM THE MEAN LOWER LOW WATER.
...WINDS...
MOST AREA WIND GAUGES ARE NOT REPORTING DATA.
WIND SPEEDS REPORTED 730-830 AM CDT SATURDAY:
FREEPORT - SUSTAINED 32 KNOTS GUST TO 40 KNOTS
EAGLE POINT - 39 KNOTS GUST TO 51 KNOTS
PEARLAND AIRPORT - MISSING
HOUSTON HOBBY - PEAK GUST OF 92 MPH
HOUSTON BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL - SUSTAINED 45 MPH GUST TO 66 MPH
SUGARLAND AIRPORT - MISSING
WESTPARK AND HILLCROFT IN HOUSTON - PEAK GUST OF 112 MPH
BRAZORIA NWR - SUSTAINED 22 MPH GUST TO 40 MPH
SAN BERNARD NWR - SUSTAINED 24 MPH GUST TO 42 MPH
SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 40 TO 60 MPH WILL CONTINUE
FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WIND GUSTS OF 75 TO 90
MPH WILL AFFECT HARRIS...LIBERTY...GALVESTON...AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES
FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. WIND GUSTS OF AT LEAST TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WILL LAST THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON.
VERY DANGEROUS WINDS WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION
OF MOBILE HOMES IS LIKELY.
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WILL INCLUDE THE MAJORITY OF MOBILE HOMES BEING
SEVERELY DAMAGED. THOSE THAT SURVIVE WILL BE UNINHABITABLE UNTIL
REPAIRED. HOUSES OF POOR TO AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE MAJOR
DAMAGE...INCLUDING PARTIAL WALL COLLAPSE AND ROOFS BEING LIFTED OFF.
MANY WILL BE UNINHABITABLE. WELL CONSTRUCTED HOUSES WILL INCUR MINOR
DAMAGE TO SHINGLES...SIDING...GUTTERS...AS WELL AS BLOWN OUT
WINDOWS. UP TO ONE QUARTER OF GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL.
PARTIAL ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED AT INDUSTRIAL PARKS...ESPECIALLY TO
THOSE BUILDINGS WITH LIGHT WEIGHT STEEL AND ALUMINUM COVERINGS.
OLDER LOW RISING APARTMENT ROOFS MAY ALSO BE TORN OFF...AS WELL AS
RECEIVING SIDING AND SHINGLE DAMAGE. UP TO ONE QUARTER OF ALL GLASS
IN HIGH RISE OFFICE BUILDINGS WILL BE BLOWN OUT. AIRBORNE DEBRIS
WILL CAUSE DAMAGE...INJURY...AND POSSIBLE FATALITIES.
NATURAL DAMAGE WILL INCLUDE ALL TREES WITH ROTTING BASES BECOMING
UPROOTED OR SNAPPED. NEARLY ALL LARGE BRANCHES WILL SNAP. BETWEEN
ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF OF HEALTHY SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED TREES WILL
BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED...MOST COMMON WHERE THE GROUND IS SATURATED.
UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF NEWLY PLANTED GROUND CROPS WILL BE DAMAGED.
...INLAND FLOODING...
FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING WATERSHEDS:
LOWER WHITE OAK BAYOU
MIDDLE GREENS BAYOU
BUFFALO BAYOU
KEEGANS BAYOU
LOWER CLEAR CREEK
ARMAND BAYOU
HUNTING BAYOU
HALLS BAYOU
BERRY BAYOU
CHIGER CREEK IN FRIENDSWOOD
WEST FORK OF SAN JACINTO RIVER AT SHELDON
THE FOLLOWING WATERSHEDS ARE NEAR BANK FULL OR OVER BANKS ON THE LOWER END:
CLEAR LAKE - FLOODING IN PROGRESS. SURGE AT 11 FEET AT KEMAH AND 9
FEET AT CLEAR LAKE.
LOWER CARPENTERS BAYOU - 2/3 BANK FULL ESTIMATED
LOWER GREENS BAYOU AT I-10 AND SOUTH - NEAR BANK FULL.
SIMS BAYOU AT TELEPHONE RD AND EAST - STARTING TO RISE BUT WELL WITHIN CHANNEL.
LOWER BRAYS BAYOU
VINCE AND LITTLE VINCE BAYOUS AT BANKFULL OF SH 225.
LOW LYING AREAS ON HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL...SAN JACINTO...SAN
JACINTO TRIBUTARIES ARE FLOODING. WATER RISING.
PLEASE CONSULT THE LATEST FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS FOR AREA
RIVERS...CREEKS...AND BAYOUS.
A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.
RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE IKE ARE MOVING OVER THE
SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE
THROUGH THE HOUSTON METRO AREA.
WIDESPREAD RAINFALL OF 5 TO 7 INCHES WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF 10 TO
12 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUNDAY. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WILL
BE POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL. THE HEAVY RAINS WILL
CAUSE ADDITIONAL RAPID RISES ON THE BAYOUS DUE TO THE STORM TIDE
BACKING UP THE BAYOUS.
...TORNADOES...
THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES WILL CONTINUE TODAY MAINLY EAST OF A LINE
FROM FREEPORT TO HOUSTON. YOU SHOULD PLAN TO SEEK SHELTER IN AN
INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1130 AM CDT.
$$