After Savaging Cuba Again, Ike Turns Toward Texas

Lone Star state preps for storm and its ever-changing path
By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 9, 2008 2:12 PM CDT
After Savaging Cuba Again, Ike Turns Toward Texas
Texas Gov. Rick Perry put 7,500 National Guard troops on standby today, CNN reports.   (AP Photo)

As Hurricane Ike went for round two with Cuba today, unleashing torrential rains and 80-mph winds, new models showed the Category 1 storm strengthening and bending toward the southern Texas coast later this week, CNN reports. Isolated tornadoes could also precede Ike today over the Florida Keys and southern Florida. But forecasters stressed the unreliability of their technology.

“It cannot be overemphasized that one should not focus on 4- and 5-day forecast points,” explained one hurricane specialist, “since these can be subject to substantial errors.” But Texas isn’t taking any chances: Gov. Rick Perry put 7,500 National Guard troops on standby, and Galveston’s mayor encouraged residents to stockpile nonperishable items and prepare for life without electricity. (More Hurricane Ike stories.)

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