On Labor Day, September 1, 2008, forecasters announced that Tropical Storm Ike had formed over the Atlantic Ocean. The storm was first spotted about 1,400 miles off the coast of the Leeward Islands, moving west at 16 miles per hour. Ike moved across the Caribbean, eventually reaching Category 3 Hurricane strength.
Hurricane Ike was downgraded to a Tropical Storm on September 13, 2008, after 12 days of destruction and death spread across Cuba and the Texas coast of the Gulf of Mexico.Bay News: Ike downgraded to a tropical storm (September 13, 2008)
Ike in Cuba
Tropical Storm Ike became Hurricane Ike on September 3, 2008. Over the next few days it fluctuated between Category 3 and 4. It made landfall in Cuba on September 7 and 9, where over a million residents were forced to evacuate. Homes were destroyed and four residents were killed during the storm.TVNZ: Hurricane Ike weakens as Hanna lines up the Carolinas (September 6, 2008)
Ike Crosses the Gulf
Two days after leaving Cuba, Ike grew in strength again, crossing the Gulf and targeting Galveston Bay in Texas. 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)
Tropical Storm Ike News and Background
Bay News: Ike downgraded to a tropical storm (September 13, 2008)
Reuters: Storm Ike forms, seen growing into hurricane (September 1, 2008)
Associated Press: Tropical storm Ike forms in tropical Atlantic (September 1, 2008)
Herald Online: Hanna becomes a hurricane, Ike a tropical storm (September 1, 2008)
WeatherStreet.com: Tropical Storm Ike tracking
Wikipedia: Tropical Storm Ike
Stormpulse: Hurricane Tracking
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