Printable ProductProvided by - NWS Southern Region HQ - Print 000 WTUS84 KHGX 121832 HLSHGX URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED HURRICANE IKE LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 132 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008 ...TIDE LEVELS CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS IKE APPROACHES THE UPPER TEXAS COAST... .AT 100 PM CDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 93.1 WEST OR ABOUT 165 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. HOWEVER...BECAUSE IKE IS A VERY LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE...WEATHER WILL BEGIN TO DETERIORATE ALONG THE COASTLINE VERY SOON. DATA FROM BOTH NOAA AND AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANES INDICATE THAT THE 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. STRONGER WINDS...ESPECIALLY IN GUSTS...ARE LIKELY ON HIGH RISE BUILDINGS. 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. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE FROM A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT IS 957 MB...28.26 INCHES. TXZ200-213-214-235>238-131845- /O.CON.KHGX.HU.W.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/ BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-HARRIS-JACKSON-LIBERTY-MATAGORDA- 132 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008 ...HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT... ...NEW INFORMATION... UPDATED PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS SECTION. UPDATED STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE SECTION. UPDATED WINDS SECTION. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OR MARINE AREAS: BRAZORIA...CHAMBERS...GALVESTON...HARRIS...JACKSON...LIBERTY... MATAGORDA. ...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. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT PERSONS WHO LIVE IN MOBILE HOMES OR POORLY- BUILT STRUCTURES EVACUATE TO A SAFER LOCATION SUCH AS A WELL BUILT HOME. PERSONS WHO LIVE IN HIGH RISES SHOULD CONSIDER EVACUATING AS WINDS CAN BE AS MUCH AS 20 TO 30 MPH STRONGER AT THE TOP OF A HIGH RISE THAN AT GROUND LEVEL. PERSONS OUTSIDE OF THE MANDATORY EVACUATION AREAS WHO HAVE NOT EVACUATED SHOULD PLAN TO SHELTER IN PLACE IN A WELL BUILT STRUCTURE DURING THE PERIOD OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS. CURRENT EVACUATION INFORMATION: BRAZORIA COUNTY: MANDATORY EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CITIES OF PEARLAND...ALVIN...MANVEL... AND ANGLETON WHICH ARE UNDER A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION. CHAMBERS COUNTY: A MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. GALVESTON COUNTY: POWER OUTAGES HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON THE BOLIVAR PENINSULA. A MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR ALL OF GALVESTON ISLAND. A MANDATORY EVACUATION IS IN EFFECT FOR BOLIVAR PENINSULA... OMEGA BAY...SAN LEON...BACLIFF...FREDDIESVILLE...TIKI ISLAND... KEMAH...AND CLEAR LAKE SHORES. THE GALVESTON-BOLIVAR FERRY HAS CEASED OPERATIONS. THE BOLIVAR S.U.D. HAS INDICATED THEY HAVE CEASED WATER SERVICE TO THE PENINSULA. HARRIS COUNTY: A MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR THE FOLLOWING ZIP CODES...77058...77059...77062...77520...77546...77571...77586... 77598 AND 77507. PERSONS THROUGHOUT HARRIS COUNTY THAT LIVE IN MOBILE HOMES OR HIGH RISES SHOULD CONSIDER EVACUATING DUE TO THE HIGH THREAT OF DAMAGING WINDS. FOR RESIDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS...PLEASE CALL 311. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES HAS SUSPENDED FLIGHTS INTO AND OUT OF HOBBY AIRPORT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. JACKSON COUNTY: A MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED TODAY. MATAGORDA COUNTY: A MANDATORY EVACUATION HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. PALACIOS SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL REMAIN CLOSED ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 15TH. ...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE... TIDE LEVELS REPORTED AT 1230 PM CDT: HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL/BATTLESHIP TEXAS - 4.7 FEET CLEAR LAKE ENTRANCE - 4.6 FEET ROLLOVER PASS - 5.4 FEET EAGLE POINT - 5.9 FEET MORGANS POINT - 5.1 FEET NORTH JETTY - 7.7 FEET PIER 21 - 6.8 FEET PLEASURE PIER - 8.9 FEET FREEPORT - 7.4 FEET PORT O`CONNOR - 3.6 FEET WATER LEVELS WILL BEGIN RISING VERY RAPIDLY LATE THIS AFTERNOON WITH WATER LEVELS PEAKING BETWEEN 11 PM AND 3 AM TONIGHT AS THE STORM SURGE SPREADS ONTO THE COAST AND BAYSHORE AREAS. MAXIMUM STORM TIDE LEVELS ARE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE TRACK OF THE STORM AND VARIATIONS IN THE TRACK OF ONLY 15 MILES CAN MAKE DIFFERENCES OF SEVERAL FEET MORE OR LESS FROM SOME OF THESE VALUES. MAXIMUM WATER LEVELS FORECAST: SHORELINE OF GALVESTON BAY...15 TO 22 FEET BOLIVAR PENINSULA...17 TO 20 FEET GALVESTON ISLAND......14 TO 17 FEET GULF-FACING COASTLINE FROM SARGENT TO SAN LUIS PASS...8 TO 14 FEET GULF-FACING COASTLINE WEST OF SARGENT...4 TO 7 FEET SHORELINE OF MATAGORDA BAY...3 TO 5 FEET SEVERE INUNDATION IS LIKELY NEAR THE IMMEDIATE COAST AND BAYSHORE AREAS! 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 ELSEWHERE. 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. WATER LEVELS MAY EXCEED 9 FEET FOR MORE THAN A MILE INLAND. 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... FRI 2:52 PM. SAT 2:59 PM. CLEAR LAKE ENTRANCE... SAT 10:43 AM. EAGLE POINT... SAT 8:32 AM. PORT BOLIVAR... FRI 1:52 PM. SAT 4:52 AM. SAT 3:00 PM. GALVESTON CHANNEL... FRI 1:38 PM. SAT 4:38 AM. SAT 2:46 PM. GALVESTON PLEASURE PIER... SAT 3:32 AM. SAT 1:40 PM. JAMAICA BEACH... FRI 4:16 PM. SAT 7:16 AM. SAT 5:24 PM. SAN LUIS PASS... FRI 1:29 PM. SAT 4:29 AM. SAT 2:37 PM. FREEPORT... SAT 3:54 AM. SAT 2:02 PM. PORT O CONNOR... SAT 2:01 PM. NOTE...TIDE LEVELS ARE REFERENCED FROM THE MEAN LOWER LOW WATER. ...WINDS... THE WIND FIELD SURROUNDING IKE IS UNUSUALLY LARGE. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE COASTAL COUNTIES IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...AND SPREAD INLAND TO THE HOUSTON AREA BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS OF AT LEAST TROPICAL STORM FORCE WILL LAST UP TO 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 74 MPH WILL REACH THE COASTAL COUNTIES LATE THIS EVENING. THESE WINDS WILL SPREAD INLAND THROUGH THE HOUSTON METRO AREA BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 3 AM CDT. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS MAY LAST FOR UP TO 12 HOURS. PEAK WIND GUSTS OF 90 TO 110 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS HARRIS...LIBERTY...BRAZORIA...GALVESTON...AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES. WIND GUSTS NEAR 115 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR WHERE THE CENTER OF THE STORM COMES ONSHORE. 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... A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE IKE WILL BEGIN SPREADING ONTO THE UPPER TEXAS COAST THIS AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE HOUSTON METRO AREA BY EARLY THIS EVENING. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL OF 5 TO 7 INCHES WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF 10 TO 12 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE STORM. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL. ...TORNADOES... THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES WILL INCREASE RAPIDLY BY THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH LATE SATURDAY AS IKE MOVES ONSHORE. 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 530 PM CDT. $$ GMZ330-335-350-355-370-375-131845- /O.CON.KHGX.HU.W.0001.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/ GALVESTON BAY-MATAGORDA BAY- WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT OUT 20 NM- 132 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008 ...HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT... ...NEW INFORMATION... UPDATED WINDS SECTION. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OR MARINE AREAS: GALVESTON BAY...MATAGORDA BAY...WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 20 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT OUT 20 NM. ...WATCHES/WARNINGS... NO ADDITIONAL HAZARDS ARE IN EFFECT. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... MARINERS SHOULD HAVE COMPLETED PREPARATIONS FOR THE PASSAGE OF A HURRICANE THROUGH THE TEXAS COASTAL WATERS. MARINERS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT FOR THE DURATION OF THE STORM. ...WINDS... WIND AND WAVE REPORTS AS OF 1200 PM CDT: BUOY 035 (20 NM EAST OF GALVESTON): WINDS 29 KNOTS GUST TO 41 KNOTS SEAS 17 FEET BUOY 019 (60 NM SOUTH OF FREEPORT): WINDS 30 KNOTS GUST TO 35 KNOTS SEAS 16 FEET TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS ARE SPREADING ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS AND WILL REACH THE BAYS THIS AFTERNOON. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS OF 65 TO 90 KNOTS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING AND PERSIST THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE IKE ARE ALREADY AFFECTING THE COASTAL WATERS. SEAS ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING 10 TO 15 FEET NEARSHORE...15 TO 25 FEET OFFSHORE.. SEAS WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. SEAS WILL PEAK AT 25 TO 35 FEET TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. ...TORNADOES... WATERSPOUTS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY AS IKE PASSES THROUGH. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 530 PM CDT. $$ TXZ163-164-176>179-198-199-212-226-227-131845- /O.CON.KHGX.HI.W.0001.000000T0000Z-080914T1200Z/ FORT BEND-GRIMES-HOUSTON-MADISON-MONTGOMERY-POLK-SAN JACINTO- TRINITY-WALKER-WALLER-WHARTON- 132 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008 ...HURRICANE WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT SUNDAY... ...NEW INFORMATION... UPDATED WINDS SECTION. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OR MARINE AREAS: FORT BEND...GRIMES...HOUSTON...MADISON...MONTGOMERY...POLK... SAN JACINTO...TRINITY...WALKER...WALLER...WHARTON. ...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. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED. PERSONS SHOULD PREPARE THEIR PROPERTIES FOR THE EXPECTATION OF DAMAGING WINDS. SECURE OR REMOVE ANY LOOSE ITEMS SURROUNDING YOUR PROPERTY WHICH COULD BE BLOWN AROUND BY TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE FORCE WINDS. TRIM TREES NEAR YOUR PROPERTY. MOST MOBILE HOMES WILL EXPERIENCE MODERATE TO SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. SOME OF POOR CONSTRUCTION WILL BE UNINHABITABLE UNTIL REPAIRED. HOUSES OF POOR TO AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE DAMAGE TO SHINGLES...SIDING...AND GUTTERS. SOME WINDOWS WILL BE BLOWN OUT. UNFASTENED HOME ITEMS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE WEIGHT WILL BECOME AIRBORNE...CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE INJURY. DOZENS OF WIRES WILL BE BLOWN DOWN. LOCAL POWER OUTAGES WILL AFFECT ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS. MANY LARGE BRANCHES OF HEALTHY TREES WILL BE SNAPPED...AND ROTTING SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED TREES WILL BE UPROOTED. ...WINDS... TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO REACH INTO THE HEMPSTEAD TO CONROE TO LIVINGSTON CORRIDOR THIS EVENING. THESE WINDS WILL SPREAD NORTH TO THE HUNTSVILLE...MADISONVILLE...LIVINGSTON...AND CROCKETT AREAS BY SUNRISE SATURDAY. THESE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF THE AREA BEGINNING BETWEEN 2 AND 5 AM TONIGHT AND LASTING THROUGH MID MORNING SATURDAY. WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 90 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. ...INLAND FLOODING... A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE IKE WILL BEGIN ACROSS THE AREA VERY LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL OF 5 TO 7 INCHES WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF 10 TO 12 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE STORM. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL. ...TORNADOES... THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES WILL INCREASE RAPIDLY BY THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH LATE SATURDAY AS IKE MOVES ONSHORE. 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 530 PM CDT. $$ TXZ195>197-210-211-131845- /O.CON.KHGX.TI.W.0002.000000T0000Z-080914T1200Z/ AUSTIN-BRAZOS-BURLESON-COLORADO-WASHINGTON- 132 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008 ...TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT SUNDAY... ...NEW INFORMATION... NO CHANGES. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OR MARINE AREAS: AUSTIN...BRAZOS...BURLESON...COLORADO...WASHINGTON. ...WATCHES/WARNINGS... PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE ADDITIONAL HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... PERSONS SHOULD PREPARE THEIR PROPERTIES FOR THE POTENTIAL OF WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH. SECURE OR REMOVE ANY LOOSE ITEMS SURROUNDING YOUR PROPERTY WHICH COULD BE BLOWN AROUND BY TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS. TRIM TREES NEAR YOUR PROPERTY. MINOR DAMAGE MAY OCCUR IN OLDER MOBILE HOME PARKS. NEWLY PLANTED TREES AND SHRUBS MAY BE UPROOTED IF NOT SECURED PROPERLY. SOME SMALL TWIGS WILL SEPARATE FROM TREES. RESIDENTS SHOULD MOVE UNFASTENED ITEMS...SUCH AS GARBAGE CANS AND DECK FURNITURE INDOORS. ...WINDS... TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS EVENING. THESE WINDS ARE FORECAST TO PERSIST UNTIL MID AFTERNOON SATURDAY. WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 70 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. ...INLAND FLOODING... A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE IKE WILL BEGIN ACROSS THE AREA VERY LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL OF 3 TO 5 INCHES WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF 6 TO 8 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE STORM. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 530 PM CDT. $$