As of 8:00 am today, Hurricane Ike’s 5-day Track Forecast has the storm bearing down on Texas. I have mixed emotions about that fact. While I’m happy it’s not heading towards New Orleans, like Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Gustav earlier this year, I’m a bit uneasy about it heading straight towards Galveston, Texas.
Just two months ago, I finished the book “Issac’s Storm.” The book is the story of meteorologist Issac Cline and his battle with the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. Estimates say the storm killed between 6,000 and 12,000 residents. While I don’t think there will be that sort of loss of life with Hurricane Ike should it strike the city, there could be a high number of casualities, not unlike Hurricane Katrina.
The fact is that most people don’t understand the significant power of hurricanes. They underestimate them and then find out about the true power of the storm when it’s too late to do anything about it. Galveston is particularly in danger because of its unique island-like land formation. After getting hit from the southeast, the city can get hit again from the water to the north and northwest after the storm has “passed.”
Once Hurricane Ike enters the Gulf of Mexico, it’s sure to make landfall somewhere. I truly hope that, contrary to forecasts, it loses more power and has as minimal an impact as possible.
