Printable ProductProvided by - NWS Southern Region HQ - Print 000 WTUS84 KHGX 130121 HLSHGX URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED HURRICANE IKE LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 821 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008 ...HURRICANE IKE BEARING DOWN ON THE UPPER TEXAS COAST... AT 800 PM CDT THE CENTER OF VERY LARGE HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 94.3 WEST OR ABOUT 70 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS. IKE HAS BEEN MOVING BETWEEN THE WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH. A NORTHWEST MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHT 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 LATER THIS EVENING OR EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. DATA FROM NOAA DOPPLER WEATHER RADARS AND RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INDICATE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 110 MPH. WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IKE IS A STRONG CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE AND COULD REACH THE TEXAS COAST SATURDAY MORNING AS A CATEGORY THREE...MAJOR HURRICANE. STRONGER WINDS... ESPECIALLY IN STRONGER GUSTS...ARE LIKELY ON HIGH RISE BUILDINGS. IKE REMAINS A VERY LARGE HURRICANE AND HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 120 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 275 MILES. DURING THE PAST HOUR...SUSTAINED WINDS OF 55 MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON GALVESTON ISLAND AND A GUST TO 70 MPH WAS MEASURED AT A NOAA BUOY JUST OFFSHORE GALVESTON ISLAND BEFORE IT STOPPED REPORTING. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 952 MB...28.11 INCHES. TXZ200-213-214-235>238-140130- /O.CON.KHGX.HU.W.1009.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/ BRAZORIA-CHAMBERS-GALVESTON-HARRIS-JACKSON-LIBERTY-MATAGORDA- 821 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008 ...HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT... ...NEW INFORMATION... UPDATED ALL SECTIONS. ...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. TORNADO WATCH FOR ALL BUT JACKSON AND MATAGORDA COUNTIES. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. 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 AT 7 TO 8 PM CDT: ROLLOVER PASS - 6.7 FEET HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL/BATTLESHIP TEXAS - 6.4 FEET MORGANS POINT - 6.0 FEET CLEAR LAKE ENTRANCE - 6.2 FEET EAGLE POINT - 7.9 FEET NORTH JETTY - 9.4 FEET PIER 21 - 8.8 FEET PLEASURE PIER - 8.0 FEET FREEPORT - 5.4 FEET PORT O`CONNOR - 3.8 FEET AS THE WINDS INCREASE WITH THE APPROACH OF THE VERY LARGE EYE TIDE LEVELS WILL CONTINUE RISING FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS. WATER LEVELS SHOULD BE PEAKING BETWEEN 10 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. IN AREAS AROUND MATAGORDA BAY...TIDE LEVELS MAY NOT SEE MUCH MORE OF AN INCREASE. 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 13 FEET GULF-FACING COASTLINE WEST OF SARGENT...4 TO 7 FEET SHORELINE OF MATAGORDA BAY...3 TO 6 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. 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 4:52 AM. SAT 3:00 PM. GALVESTON CHANNEL... SAT 4:38 AM. SAT 2:46 PM. GALVESTON PLEASURE PIER... SAT 3:32 AM. SAT 1:40 PM. JAMAICA BEACH... SAT 7:16 AM. SAT 5:24 PM. SAN LUIS PASS... 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... WIND SPEEDS REPORTED AT 730 TO 800 PM: MORGANS POINT - SUSTAINED 26 KNOTS GUSTS TO 39 KNOTS NORTH JETTY - SUSTAINED 48 KNOTS GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS FREEPORT - SUSTAINED 36 KNOTS GUSTS TO 49 KNOTS PEARLAND AIRPORT - SUSTAINED 33 MPH GUSTS TO 45 MPH HOUSTON HOBBY - SUSTAINED 33 MPH GUSTS TO 52 MPH HOUSTON BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL - SUSTAINED 43 MPH GUSTS TO 59 MPH SUGARLAND AIRPORT - SUSTAINED 29 GUSTS TO 41 MPH PALACIOS - SUSTAINED 26 MPH GUSTS TO 49 MPH BAY CITY - SUSTAINED 30 MPH GUSTS TO 44 MPH SMITH POINT - SUSTAINED 42 MPH GUSTS TO 52 MPH ANAHUAC - SUSTAINED 25 MPH GUSTS TO 36 MPH ANAHUAC NWR - SUSTAINED 30 MPH GUSTS TO 49 MPH COTTON BAYOU AT I-10 - SUSTAINED 22 MPH GUSTS TO 32 MPH BRAZORIA NWR - SUSTAINED 26 MPH GUSTS TO 48 MPH THE WIND FIELD SURROUNDING IKE IS UNUSUALLY LARGE. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH HAVE ALREADY SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA. 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 IN THE NEXT 2 TO 4 HOURS. THESE WINDS WILL SPREAD INLAND THROUGH THE HOUSTON METRO AREA AROUND MIDNIGHT. HURRICANE FORCE WIND GUSTS ARE EXPECTED TO LAST 7 TO 10 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... THE FOLLOWING WATERSHEDS ARE NEAR BANK FULL OR OVER BANKS ON THE LOWER END: CLEAR LAKE - FLOODING IN PROGRESS CLEAR CREEK BELOW BAY AREA BOULEVARD - CURRENTLY NEAR BANK FULL LITTLE CEDAR BAYOU - HALF FULL CEDAR BAYOU - OVER BANKS IN THE LOWER END LOWER GOOSE CREEK LOWER SAN JACINTO RIVER ALL OF TAYLOR BAYOU - OVER BANKS LOWER ARMAND BAYOU BRAYS BAYOU BELOW INTERSTATE 45 VINCE BAYOU LITTLE VINCE BAYOU CARPENTERS BAYOU LOWER HUNTING BAYOU GREENS BAYOU ARMAND BAYOU BUFFALO BAYOU SIMS BAYOU A FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE WEST FORK OF THE SAN JACINTO RIVER AT SHELDON WHERE MINOR FLOODING IS EXPECTED. 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 ARE MOVING OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND WILL MOVE INTO THE HOUSTON METRO AREA BY 9 PM. 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 BE INCREASING OVER CHAMBERS COUNTY AND WILL EXPAND WEST ACROSS THE BAY AND INTO GALVESTON...HARRIS... AND LIBERTY COUNTY IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND CONTINUE TO EXPAND WEST AND NORTH LATER TONIGHT. 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 1030 PM CDT. $$ GMZ330-335-350-355-370-375-140130- /O.CON.KHGX.HU.W.0001.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/ GALVESTON BAY-MATAGORDA BAY- WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT OUT 20 NM- 821 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008 ...HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT... ...NEW INFORMATION... CHANGED WINDS SECTION. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OR MARINE AREAS: GALVESTON BAY...MATAGORDA BAY...WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 NM TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM FREEPORT TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 20 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT 20 TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM HIGH ISLAND TO FREEPORT OUT 20 NM. ...WATCHES/WARNINGS... NO ADDITIONAL HAZARDS ARE IN EFFECT. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... MARINERS SHOULD REMAIN IN SHELTER. ...WINDS... WIND AND WAVE REPORTS AS OF 5 TO 6 PM CDT: BUOY 035 (20 NM EAST OF GALVESTON): WINDS 55 MPH GUSTS TO 70 MPH SEAS 19 FEET BUOY HAS STOPPED REPORTING BUOY 019 (60 NM SOUTH OF FREEPORT): WINDS 37 KNOTS GUST TO 51 KNOTS SEAS 20 FEET HURRICANE FORCE WINDS OF 65 TO 90 KNOTS WILL BE MOVING OVER THE COASTAL WATERS IN THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AND PERSIST THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE IKE ARE ALREADY AFFECTING THE COASTAL WATERS. SEAS ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING 15 TO 25 FEET ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS. SEAS WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD TO A PEAK OF 20 TO 30 FEET IN THE NEXT 6 TO 12 HOURS. ...TORNADOES... WATERSPOUTS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY AS IKE PASSES THROUGH. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1030 PM CDT. $$ TXZ163-164-176>179-198-199-212-226-227-140130- /O.CON.KHGX.HI.W.0001.000000T0000Z-080914T1200Z/ FORT BEND-GRIMES-HOUSTON-MADISON-MONTGOMERY-POLK-SAN JACINTO- TRINITY-WALKER-WALLER-WHARTON- 821 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008 ...HURRICANE WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT SUNDAY... ...NEW INFORMATION... UPDATED WATCHES/WARNINGS. ...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. TORNADO WATCH FOR ALL BUT GRIMES...MADISON...WALLER...AND WHARTON COUNTIES. ...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 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 AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. THESE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. HURRICANE FORCE WIND GUSTS ARE LIKELY AND SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE OVER 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 SUNDAY. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL. ...TORNADOES... THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES WILL INCREASE RAPIDLY IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND CONTINUE THROUGH 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 1030 PM CDT. $$ TXZ195>197-210-211-140130- /O.CON.KHGX.TI.W.0002.000000T0000Z-080914T1200Z/ AUSTIN-BRAZOS-BURLESON-COLORADO-WASHINGTON- 821 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008 ...TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT SUNDAY... ...NEW INFORMATION... NO CHANGES. ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OR MARINE AREAS: AUSTIN...BRAZOS...BURLESON...COLORADO...WASHINGTON. ...WATCHES/WARNINGS... PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE ADDITIONAL HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. ...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... PERSONS SHOULD PREPARE THEIR PROPERTIES FOR THE POTENTIAL OF WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH. SECURE OR REMOVE ANY LOOSE ITEMS SURROUNDING YOUR PROPERTY WHICH COULD BE BLOWN AROUND BY TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS. TRIM TREES NEAR YOUR PROPERTY. MINOR DAMAGE MAY OCCUR IN OLDER MOBILE HOME PARKS. NEWLY PLANTED TREES AND SHRUBS MAY BE UPROOTED IF NOT SECURED PROPERLY. SOME SMALL TWIGS WILL SEPARATE FROM TREES. RESIDENTS SHOULD MOVE UNFASTENED ITEMS...SUCH AS GARBAGE CANS AND DECK FURNITURE INDOORS. ...WINDS... TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS EVENING. THESE WINDS ARE FORECAST TO PERSIST UNTIL MID AFTERNOON SATURDAY. WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 70 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. ...INLAND FLOODING... A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE IKE WILL BEGIN ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL OF 3 TO 5 INCHES WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF 6 TO 8 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUNDAY. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL. ...NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 1030 PM CDT. $$