Hurricane Ike

Coordinates: 26°12′N 89°54′W / 26.200°N 89.900°W / 26.200; -89.900
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26°12′N 89°54′W / 26.200°N 89.900°W / 26.200; -89.900

Hurricane Ike 2
Hurricane Ike approaching Cuba.jpg
Satellite image
2008 09L 5-day track.gif
Forecast map
Current storm status
Category 2 hurricane (1-min mean)
As of: 7 p.m. CDT September 11 (0000 UTC September 12)
Location: 26.2°N 89.9°W ± 10 nm
About 475 mi (760 km) ESE of Corpus Christi
About 370 mi (595 km) SE of Galveston
Winds: 85 knots | 100 mph | 155 km/h sustained (1-min mean)
gusting to 105 knots | 120 mph | 195 km/h
Pressure: 954 mbar (hPa) | 28.17 inHg
Movement: WNW at 10 kt | 12 mph | 19 km/h
See more detailed information.

Hurricane Ike is the current ninth named storm, fifth hurricane and third major hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season.[1] It is also a Cape Verde-type hurricane, as it started as a tropical disturbance off the coast of Africa near the end of August, then tracked south of Cape Verde and slowly developed. On September 1, it became a tropical storm west of the Cape Verde islands.[2][3] By the early morning hours of September 4, Ike was a category 4 hurricane, hitting its peak of 145 mph (230 km/h) and a pressure of 935 mbar (27.61 inHg). That made it the most intense storm so far in the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. Ike has been blamed for 80 deaths since its inception.

As of Thursday afternoon, September 11, Ike was moving westward in the Gulf of Mexico. It was predicted to make landfall in the U.S. state of Texas early on Saturday morning, September 13, as a hurricane, and then to swing north into Arkansas, as a tropical storm, and then northeast into Kentucky, as a tropical depression.

Storm history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

Hurricane Ike can be traced to an easterly wave leaving western Sudan on August 19, which moved westward through Nigeria and Mali and reached the coastal country of Senegal on August 28[4] Moving into the Atlantic Ocean, the wave slowly intensified over subsequent days while moving generally towards the west-northwest. On September 1, the wave developed a sufficient amount of convection and was designated Tropical Depression Nine. The depression had developed a large amount of convection as well as cyclonically curved bands. Satellite estimates were already indicating that the depression was a tropical storm, however, the National Hurricane Center did not classify it as such because the convection was newly formed.[5] The depression continued to intensify as it became better organized and at 5 p.m. (EDT), it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Ike.[6][7] Ike was located in an environment which was supportive of intensification and the forecast showed Ike becoming a hurricane within 36 hours of its upgrade.[8][9]

Image of Hurricane Ike on September 4, 2008 as it began to near peak intensity. The image was taken by the International Space Station (ISS) from over 220 miles (350 km) above the hurricane.

During the overnight hours of September 1, Ike stopped intensifying as part of the eastern band began to erode as northerly wind shear began to impact the system.[10] By late morning on September 2, Ike began to intensify again as shear relaxed a little on the system.[11] Throughout the day, deep convection developed around the center of Ike indicating that the storm was still intensifying. Ike also quickened its movement to 18 mph (30 km/h) due to a strengthening mid-level high located to the north-northeast of Ike.[12] Again intensification stopped during the overnight hours as the structure of Ike remained mostly unchanged.[13]

Ike remained at the same intensity and structure through the early morning hours of September 3. However, by the late morning, Ike began to intensify again. Microwave satellites depicted an eye beginning to form and Ike strengthened just below hurricane status.[14] The eye continued to become better defined and by mid-afternoon Ike was upgraded to a hurricane.[15] Ike was in an area that lacked vertical wind shear and intensification was likely.[16] Due to the lack of wind shear, Ike began to undergo explosive intensification and was upgraded to a major hurricane with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) only three hours after being upgraded to a hurricane. During the three hour span, the pressure dropped 24 mbar.[17][18] Ike continued to intensify and was further upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale three hours later with winds of 135 mph (215 km/h) and a pressure of 948 mbar (27.99 inHg).[19]

By the early morning hours on September 4, Ike had reached its peak intensity of 145 mph (230 km/h) with a pressure of 935 mbar (27.61 inHg), making it the most intense storm thus far in the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season.

File:Ike 4 September 2008.jpg
Ike at peak intensity

Ike was now forecasted to weaken as the upper-level high to the north of the system continued to strengthen resulting in stronger northerly wind shear affecting Ike.[20] The explosive intensification lasted roughly 24 hours as Ike intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane with a pressure drop of 61 mbar. By the late morning, Ike began to weaken as the cloud tops around the eye began to warm. Models were forecasting Ike to encounter strong wind shear and slowly weaken but maintain major hurricane status.[21] This trend of the clouds warming continued through the afternoon and Ike continued to weaken slowly. By mid-afternoon, Ike was barely a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 135 mph (215 km/h).[22] Ike began to show signs of intensification once more during the late night hours. The eye became more clear and better defined and the clouds around the eye began to deepen and become colder.[23]

The show of possible strengthening did not last long. By the morning of September 5, northerly wind shear began to erode the northern part of the system and the cloud tops around the eye began to warm once more. The structure of the eye became less prominent as microwave satellite imagery showed that the inner structure of Ike was not deteriorating or beginning to undergo an eyewall replacement cycle.[24] A later pass made by the satellite found that the northern eye wall had eroded and most of the convection was in the southern semi-circle of the storm. This indicated that Ike was continuing to weaken as it remained in a hostile environment.[25] Ike slowly weakened to a low-end Category Three by the afternoon hours. A ridge to the north of Ike continued to push the storm towards the southwest, into an area more favorable for intensification.[26]

Ike maintained its intensity throughout the night as its eye briefly reappeared around 8p.m. (EDT), leading the NHC to forecast a slow strengthening trend.[27] Overnight, Ike reformed a 24 nmi (48 km) wide eye, however, it was cloud covered.[28] However, during the late morning hours on September 6, wind shear weakened Ike to a Category Two hurricane.[29] This weakening was short lived and Ike began to undergo another round of rapid intensification, though not as significant as the first. Ike's eye began to clear out again and the system became better organized and based on an Air Force Reconnaissance Aircraft measurement, Ike had intensified into a Category Four six hours after being downgraded to a Category Two. Ike had winds sustained at 135 mph (215 km/h) as it approached the Turks and Caicos Islands during the afternoon.[30]

By the early morning hours of September 7, Ike had passed directly over the Turks and Caicos Islands with winds of 135 mph (215 km/h). Environmental conditions were supportive of intensification and Ike was forecast to intensity through landfall in Cuba.[31]

Hurricane Ike in infrared on September 8, about to make landfall in Cuba

It made landfall as a strong Category 3 hurricane in Holguin Province, Cuba on the evening of September 7,[32] near Cabo Lucrecia on the northern coast.[33] It passed across the central provinces of Holguin, Las Tunas, and Camagüey, emerging over the sea to the south of Cuba during September 8. It made landfall a second time in Pinar del Río before entering the Gulf of Mexico in the afternoon of September 9.

During the night of September 10, Ike exhibited a rapid drop in central pressure, falling from 963 mbar to 944 mbar as it passed over the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico. However, this drop was not reflected by wind speed, which only increased from 85 mph (136 km/hr) to 100 mph (160 km/h). Multiple wind maxima were noted by the National Hurricane Center, indicating the structure was absorbing and dispersing energy over a larger area, rather than concentrating it near the center.

Preparations

Florida

A Florida soldier uses a Single Mobile User Case Set to send a situation report on ongoing preparations for Hurricane Ike in Key West, Florida.

On September 5, the governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, declared a state of emergency in advance of Ike's arrival, which was expected to be as early as September 8. In Key West, authorities issued a mandatory evacuation for all visitors for September 6. FEMA positioned supplies, and emergency response crews in Florida and along the Gulf Coast.[34]

Florida Keys officials began resident evacuations on the low-lying chain of islands in phases, starting at the end in Key West by 8 a.m. Sunday and continuing throughout the day—at noon for the Middle Keys, and at 4 p.m. for the Upper Keys, including Key Largo. Visitors were told to leave on Saturday.[35]

Texas

On September 8, Texas State Governor Rick Perry declared 88 Texas state counties a disaster area in preparation for Hurricane Ike, expected to hit the Texas coast as early as Saturday, which included placing 7,500 Texas State National Guard troops on standby. The Texas County of Brazoria called for voluntary evacuation and Matagorda County called for mandatory evacuation as did the County of Brazoria for zip code 77541 and the city of Lake Jackson. Galveston, parts of southern Houston and areas south of the city and near the Texas coast were under a mandatory evacuation order starting at noon September 11.[36]

On September 10, President George W. Bush made an emergency declaration for Texas in advance of Hurricane Ike, making more federal help available for preparations and evacuations.

State rural water associations activated mutual aid networks to prepare for the landfall of Hurricane Hanna and Hurricane Ike while still providing assistance to areas impacted by Hurricane Gustav.[37][38] The Texas Rural Water Association held meetings with state agencies on Tuesday, September 9, to plan for landfall along the Texas gulf coast.[39]

On September 11, forecasting models began to show Ike making landfall just south of Galveston. City Manager Steve LeBlanc late Wednesday issued a mandatory evacuation order for the low lying west end of Galveston Island.[40] Later, the mandatory evacuation order was extended to the entire island of Galveston, as well as low-lying areas around Houston, Texas.[41]

Impact

Deaths by country
Haiti 75
Dominican Republic 1
Cuba 4
Total 80

Turks and Caicos Islands

Power was lost throughout Grand Turk Island, and 80% of the homes on that island were damaged.[42] After the eye of the storm passed over, it continued west at 15 mph (24 km/h) headed directly for eastern Cuba.[43][44] Buildings on the islands have been severely weakened and 750 people have lost their homes.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).

Hispaniola

The outer bands of Ike caused additional flooding in Haiti, which was already devastated by Hanna and also hit hard by Fay and Gustav. The last bridge still standing into the city of Gonaïves was washed away, slowing relief in the community considerably and creating a deeper humanitarian and food crisis in the hard-hit region. 74 deaths have been reported in Haiti from Ike,[45] of which most were in the coastal community of Cabaret which was swept away by floodwaters and mudslides.[46]

Ike's winds caused one death in the Dominican Republic from a fallen tree.[46]

Cuba

Just over 1 million Cubans had been evacuated on Sunday, officials said. In Baracoa, 200 homes were reported to be destroyed and waves were running 23 feet (7 m) high. The hurricane made landfall on September 8 on the north coast of eastern Cuba in the province of Holguin near Puerto de Sama,[47] with sustained winds of about 160km/h (100mph) killing four people, causing widespread flooding and damage to the eastern provinces. Ike had dropped to a Category One by the time it crossed the island.[48] It crossed the western end of the island in Pinar del Rio Province, close to the path taken by Hurricane Gustav ten days previously.

Ike was expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches (150 to 300 mm) throughout western Cuba, with isolated maximum amounts of up to 20 inches (500 mm) possible.

Current storm information

As of 7 p.m. CDT September 11 (0000 UTC September 12), Hurricane Ike is located within 10 nautical miles of 26.2°N 89.9°W, about 475 mi (760 km) east-southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas and about 370 mi (595 km) southeast of Galveston, Texas. Maximum sustained winds are 85 knots (100 mph, 155 km/h), with stronger gusts. Minimum central pressure is 954 mbar (hPa; 28.17 InHg), and the system is moving west-northwest at 10 kt (12 mph, 19 km/h).

Ike is an extremely large hurricane; hurricane-force winds extend out up to 115 mi (185 km) from the center of Ike, and tropical storm-force winds extend out up to 275 mi (445 km) from the center.

Storm surge flooding up to 20 feet (6.1 m) is expected near and to the east of where Ike makes final landfall, except at some heads of bays where storm surges as high as 25 feet (7.6 m) are possible. Rainfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches (125 to 250 mm) are expected in eastern Texas and western Louisiana, with isolated amounts to 15 inches (375 mm) possible.

Watches and warnings

As of 1 p.m. CDT (1800 UTC) September 11, the following warnings and watches are in effect:

Hurricane warning
Hurricane watch
Tropical storm warning

For latest official information see:

References

  1. ^ Kleinberg, Eliot (2008-09-02). "U.S. tracking tropical storms Hanna, Ike, Josephine". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  2. ^ "Storm Ike, 9th of season, forms in Atlantic". Reuters. 2008-09-01. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  3. ^ DiSavino, Scott (2008-09-02). "Energy market eyes Tropical Storm Ike in Atlantic". Reuters UK. Archived from the original on 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2008-09-02. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ "Morphed Integrated Microwave Imagery at CIMSS (MIMIC)". Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  5. ^ Avila (2008-09-01). "Tropical Depression Nine Discussion One". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  6. ^ Rappleye, Christine (2008-09-01). "Tropical Storm Ike the ninth named storm of the season". Beaumont Enterprise. Retrieved 2008-09-01. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ "Tropical Storm Ike forms in Atlantic". Sun Sentinel. 2008-09-01. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  8. ^ Avila (2008-09-01). "Tropical Storm Ike Discussion Two". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  9. ^ Christie, Michael (2008-09-01). "Storm Ike forms, seen growing into hurricane". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  10. ^ Roberts/Franklin (2008-09-01). "Tropical Storm Ike Discussion Three". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  11. ^ Berg/Knabb (2008-09-02). "Tropical Storm Ike Discussion Five". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  12. ^ Berg/Knabb (2008-09-02). "Tropical Storm Ike Discussion Six". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  13. ^ Avila (2008-09-02). "Tropical Storm Ike Discussion Seven". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  14. ^ Knabb (2008-09-03). "Tropical Storm Ike Discussion Nine". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  15. ^ "Forecasters: Ike strengthens into major hurricane". Associated Press. The Guardian. 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  16. ^ Knabb (2008-09-03). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Ten". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  17. ^ Delva, Joseph Guyler (2008-09-03). "Ike strengthens into major hurricane". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-09-03. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Brown (2008-09-03). "Hurricane Ike Special Discussion Eleven". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  19. ^ Brown (2008-09-03). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Twelve". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  20. ^ Pasch (2008-09-04). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Thirteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  21. ^ Blake (2008-09-04). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Fourteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  22. ^ Blake (2008-09-04). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Fifteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  23. ^ Brown (2008-09-04). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Sixteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  24. ^ Knabb (2008-09-05). "Hurricane Ike discussion Seventeen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  25. ^ Roberts/Knabb (2008-09-05). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Eighteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  26. ^ Blake/Beven (2008-09-05). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Nineteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  27. ^ Brown/Avila (2008-09-05). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Twenty". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  28. ^ Roberts/Knabb (2008-09-06). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Twenty-One". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  29. ^ Rhome/Beven (2008-09-06). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Twenty-Two". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  30. ^ Rhome/Beven (2008-09-06). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Twenty-Three". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  31. ^ Brown/Avila (2008-09-07). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Twenty-Five". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  32. ^ Pasch/Kimberlain (2008-09-07). "Hurricane Ike Cuba Landfall Update". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  33. ^ Pasch (2008-09-07). "Hurricane Ike Discussion Twenty-Eight". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  34. ^ "Hanna, Ike aim for East Coast". MSNBC. 2008-09-06. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  35. ^ "Powerful Hurricane Ike looms as trouble for Gulf". Associated Press. 2008-09-07. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  36. ^ Bloomberg
  37. ^ "More relief moves into Louisiana as other states brace for more storms". National Rural Water Association. 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-05. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  38. ^ "States prepare for second hit while providing aid to Louisiana" (PDF). National Rural Water Association. 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-05. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  39. ^ "Texas Rural Water prepares for Hurricane Ike". National Rural Water Association. 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-05. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  40. ^ "Ike Turns Northeast, Threat to SA, Corpus Christi Lessened". WOAI_(AM). 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-11. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  41. ^ Galveston, part of Houston evacuated ahead of Ike Accessed 2008-09-11.
  42. ^ Hurricane Ike damages 80% of homes
  43. ^ USAToday
  44. ^ CNN
  45. ^ Associated Press (2008-09-09). "Ike hits old Havana; overall death toll up to 80". WAVE-TV. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  46. ^ a b Associated Press (2008-09-07). "Ike's floods kill 48, cut off aid to parts of Haiti". CNN. Retrieved 2008-09-07. Cite error: The named reference "DetNews" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  47. ^ Pasch/Kimberlain (2008-09-07). "HURRICANE IKE TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  48. ^ Deadly hurricane heads for Havana BBC News

External links

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