First, a couple of late spot reports
* Ike now afecting roughly 80% of the Gulf of Mexico–a huge storm
* Gulf Shores…partly sunny, wind SE 23, gusts 36
* Mid-Gulf Buoy…wind south 40, gusts 47, 21 foot waves
* Pensacola…wind SE 24, gusts 35
* Estimated 50% of the Galveston population has not evacuated
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Here is a special statement from NWS/Mobile
HURRICANE IKE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1044 AM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008
…TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS
FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE…
AT 1000 AM CDT…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.2 NORTH…LONGITUDE 92.6 WEST ABOUT 195 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF GALVESTON TEXAS.
IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. A TURN TOWARD
THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY…WITH A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH
EXPECTED ON SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CENTER OF IKE WILL
BE VERY NEAR THE UPPER TEXAS COAST BY LATE TODAY OR EARLY SATURDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 105 MPH…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IKE
IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE BUT COULD
REACH THE COAST AS A CATEGORY THREE…MAJOR HURRICANE.
IKE REMAINS A VERY LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 120 MILES FROM THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 275 MILES FROM THE CENTER.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE FROM A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT IS
954 MB…28.17 INCHES.
..TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT
..NEW INFORMATION
IKE CONTINUES MOVING WEST NORTHWEST TOWARDS THE UPPER TEXAS COAST.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE BEING OBSERVED OVER THE OFFSHORE GULF
WATERS 20 TO 60 MILES SOUTH OF THE ALABAMA GULF COAST WITH SEAS NEAR
20 FEET.
..AREAS AFFECTED
COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FLORIDA TO PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI
FROM 20 TO 60 NM.
..WATCHES/WARNINGS
TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT.
..STORM INFORMATION
AT 1000 AM CDT…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 27.2 NORTH…LONGITUDE 92.6 WEST ABOUT 195 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF GALVESTON TEXAS.
IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. A TURN TOWARD
THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY…WITH A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH
EXPECTED ON SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CENTER OF IKE WILL
BE VERY NEAR THE UPPER TEXAS COAST BY LATE TODAY OR EARLY SATURDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 105 MPH…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IKE
IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE BUT COULD
REACH THE COAST AS A CATEGORY THREE…MAJOR HURRICANE.
IKE REMAINS A VERY LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS
EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 120 MILES FROM THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 275 MILES FROM THE CENTER.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE FROM A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT IS
954 MB…28.17 INCHES.
..PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
BOATERS ARE URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT.
..WINDS
SOUTHEAST WINDS AT 35 KNOTS GUSTING TO 45 KNOTS WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING…GRADUALLY DIMINISHING TO AROUND 25
KNOTS BY SATURDAY MORNING.
..WAVES
SEAS ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING NEAR 20 FEET. THE SEAS WILL SLOWLY
SUBSIDE LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING AS IKE MAKES LANDFALL
ON THE UPPER TEXAS COAST.
..NEXT UPDATE
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED FROM THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN MOBILE AROUND 3 PM CDT.
GARMON
