Hurricane Ike Worsening As It Heads Towards Texas, Could Be "Worst to Hit Texas in 40 Years" Says One Meteorologist

Hurricane Ike Satellite Photo. Courtesy The Weather Channel

With the eye of the storm now out of Cuba and into the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Ike has the potential to strengthen severely before hitting somewhere along the Texas coast.

The Weather Channel's lead meteorologist, Chris Dolce, predicts that Ike "will become a major hurricane." The director of meteorology at Weather Underground, Jeff Masters, put it in terms that were considerably more ominous.

"[There's] a significant chance that Ike will be the worst hurricane to hit Texas in 40 years,'' said Masters. "I am giving it a 50 percent chance of being a major hurricane at landfall."

A Category 3 hurricane when it hit Cuba, Ike left an estimated death toll of about 80 people, the majority of casualties being in nearby Haiti.

Governor Rick Perry has issued a disaster declaration and is prepared to mobilize up to 7,500 National Guard members. Freeport, Texas has been issued a mandatory evacuation order; elsewhere along the coast, authorities are monitoring the storm and may issue similar declarations as the hurricane's path becomes clearer.

Today's projected path computations show Ike making landfall on Friday, initially heading northwest before veering off sharply north. Local weather forecast calls for thunderstorms throughout the weekend.

The Statesman's twitter account posted that they're sending a team down to cover the storm firsthand. Meanwhile, they've also set up a dedicated twitter feed (@TrackingIke) with breaking or helpful news.