The latest from Jeff Lindner:


Very dangerous hurricane heading for the upper TX coast
Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
Residents in coastal evacuation zones need to heed all advice and leave if told to do so...it will save your life.
Folks we must let the coastal people evacuate through us...we are out of time for massive evacuations and must get the surge people out today...we are looking at 27 hours before the onset of TS force winds.


Current:
Ike has not intensified much overnight with the pressure rising a little to 946mb. The wind field as expanded yet again and now TS winds extend outward to 230 miles and Hurricane force winds 115 miles.


Track:
Track guidance is zeroing in on a landfall of this extremely dangerous hurricane between Matagorda Bay and Galveston Bay. There is a tight clustering in the models and forecast confidence is getting high that we are going to take a very hard hit.


Intensity:
Since Ike has failed to intensify much overnight the new forecast brings it in as a high end category 3 hurricane.


Impacts:
Matagorda County:
Catastrophic damage expected. Most structures below 15 feet elevation will be completely destroyed. Storm surge of 15-22 feet with wave action of 10 feet on top of that. Sustained winds of 110-125mph with gust to 155mph. Complete failure of most homes is likely along with entire power system.
Brazoria County:
Extreme damage expected. Most structures below 10 feet elevation will be completely destroyed. Storm surge of 15-22 feet with wave action of 10-15 feet on top of that. Surge will inundate nearly the entire southern 1/3rd to 1/2 of the county. Sustained winds of 110-125mph with gust to 155mph. Complete failure of most homes well inland from wind and entire power system.
Galveston County:
Extensive damage expected. Storm surge flooding of 12-18 feet with wave action of 10-15 feet on top of that. Sustained winds of 100-120mph. Extensive damage to homes from wind and surge is expected.
Harris County:
Extensive damage expected. Storm surge of 15-20 feet along the west coast of Galveston Bay with wave action of 4-8 feet on top of the surge. Extensive and life threatening surge greater than Hurricane Alicia and Carla along W Galveston Bay looks likely. Sustained winds of 100-120mph SE 1/2 of the county and 90-111mph across the rest of HC with gust to 140mph. Extensive roof and wall failures are likely along with massive power damage to the entire system and widespread heavy vegetation damage.
Fort Bend/Wharton County:
Extensive wind damage is expected. Sustained winds of 90-115mph with gust to 135mph. Extensive wind damage to homes...roofs and windows is expected with some complete failures possible.
Waller and Austin Counties:
Extensive wind damage is expected. Sustained winds of 85-100mph with gust to 120mph. Heavy wind damage to homes...some complete failures
Montgomery County:
Extensive wind damage is expected. Sustained winds of 75-95mph with gust to 110mph. Extensive tree fall is expected across the entire county.
Liberty County:
Extensive wind damage is expected. Sustained winds of 75-95mph with gust to 110mph. Heavy wind damage to most structures.
Other:
Hurricane force winds will extend inland to College Station and Huntsville and likely further.
Most storm surge areas will be uninhabitable for several weeks.


Actions:
Folks this is a very serious hurricane threat.
Take all actions to protect your life and property.
If in a storm surge evacuation area...you must leave...it will save your life.
Numerous evacuation orders in in effect.
Multiple counties are enacting their reverse 911 systems to call their residents and urge evacuation