Hurricane Ike became the fifth named hurricane of the 2008 season on September 3.
On September 11—two days after the storm ravaged Cuba—residents along Texas' Galveston Bay were told to evacuate, or "face certain death," as the entire coastline was expected to be inundated.AFP: Gulf residents face 'certain death' from Ike (September 11, 2008) Authorities called for a mandatory evacuation of Brazoria County and the Galveston area, including parts of Houston.
Ike made landfall in the early morning hours of Saturday, September 13, just short of a Category 3 hurricane strength. Ike weakened to a Category 1 storm by 9:00 a.m. EST as it moved inland.Associated Press: Hurricane Ike slams Texas coast (September 13, 2008) By 1:00 p.m. CDT, Ike downgraded to a Tropical Storm.National Weather Service: Tropical Storm Ike Intermediate Advisory (September 13, 2008)
Ike in Cuba
Hurricane Ike became a hurricane on September 3, 2008. Strengthening quickly, Ike fluctuated between a Category 4 hurricane and a Category 3 hurricane several times. The hurricane made landfall in Cuba twice between September 7 and 9, flattening hundreds of homes, causing at least four deaths and prompting over a million residents of the island nation to evacuate.MSNBC: Havana feels Ike as it makes second landfall (September 9, 2008)
Background
Tropical Storm Ike was first spotted by forecasters on September 1, 2008, as Hurricane Gustav prepared to batter the Gulf Coast. Forecasters predicted that Ike would reach hurricane strength within as little as 36 hours, and it did. Ike was also predicted to follow a similar path as Hurricane Hanna. Ike was the 9th tropical storm of the 2008 hurricane season, which will peak some time around September 10. At least 136 people died in Haiti when Hurricane Hanna reached the island earlier the same week.TVNZ: Hurricane Ike weakens as Hanna lines up the Carolinas (September 6, 2008)
Featured Video
Hurricane Ike Tracker
Stormpulse: Hurricane Tracking
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References
Fast Facts
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Hurricane force winds extent outward up to 125 milesNational Hurricane Center: Hurricane Ike Public Advisory
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Tropical force winds extend outward up to 260 milesNational Hurricane Center: Hurricane Ike Public Advisory
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Contractors surveying the hurricane's damage discovered an 1864 cotton ship off the coast of Galveston in March of 2009FOXNews.com: Civil War-Era Shipwreck Uncovered by Hurricane Ike (March 9, 2009)
