Checks and Balances

Hurricane Ike UPDATE
by Pat Darnell [SOURCE]

Texas Gov. Rick Perry of Texas issued a disaster declaration and activated 7,500 National Guard troops, according to the New York Times, and residents and workers in Brazoria County south of Houston were ordered to leave by 10 this morning.

Ike, which killed 80 people in Haiti and Cuba when it barreled through those islands over the weekend, is a Category 2 hurricane with winds near 100 miles per hour (155 kilometers per hour), according to the weather service. It will become a "major hurricane" in the next 24 hours, the agency said -- possibly strengthening to a Category 3 storm.

[2nd SOURCE]
Ike is still being steered by a strong upper-level high that extends across the northern Gulf of Mexico and the Deep South of the United States. This ridge should remain in place through Friday and keep Ike on a west to west-northwest course through Thursday. Conditions will be favorable for intensification over the next 24-36 hours as water temperatures along Ike's projected track are at least 82 degrees and wind shear remains relatively weak. Ike is a large hurricane with a small central core and strong winds extend far away from the eye.

Ike's surface pressure fell rapidly Wednesday evening, but the surface winds have not rapidly responded to these pressure falls which may indicate that Ike still has to consolidate its energy toward the center of circulation and then perhaps strengthen from the center outward. Once this happens then Ike should increase to Category 3 strength, perhaps as early as midday Thursday.