Galveston County authorities issued orders of mandatory evacuation on September 11, 2008, due to Hurricane Ike's approach to southeast Texas. According to the orders, all of Galveston Island's residents must be evacuated. Over 75 buses will begin the process at noon by transporting people to inland shelters, some of them in Austin.KHOU: Galveston County: Mandatory evacuation... (September 11, 2008)

Ike made landfall in the early morning of September 13, 2008 just short of a Category 3 storm.Associated Press: Hurricane Ike slams Texas coast (September 13, 2008) By 1:00 p.m. CDT, the storm was downgraded to a Tropical Storm as headed up the Texas/Louisiana Border.National Weather Service: Tropical Storm Ike Intermediate Advisory (September 13, 2008)