Ike

It kind of snuck up on everybody, but this could be really bad:

...TIDE LEVELS CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS IKE APPROACHES THE UPPER TEXAS COAST...

IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY...WITH A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH EXPECTED ON SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE
CENTER OF IKE WILL BE VERY NEAR THE UPPER TEXAS COAST BY LATE TODAY OR EARLY SATURDAY. HOWEVER...BECAUSE IKE IS A VERY LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE...WEATHER WILL BEGIN TO DETERIORATE ALONG THE COASTLINE VERY SOON.

THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OR MARINE AREAS:

BRAZORIA...CHAMBERS...GALVESTON...HARRIS...JACKSON...LIBERTY...MATAGORDA.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT PERSONS WHO LIVE IN MOBILE HOMES OR POORLY-BUILT STRUCTURES EVACUATE TO A SAFER LOCATION SUCH AS A WELL BUILT HOME. PERSONS WHO LIVE IN HIGH RISES SHOULD CONSIDER EVACUATING AS WINDS CAN BE AS MUCH AS 20 TO 30 MPH STRONGER AT THE TOP OF A HIGH RISE THAN AT GROUND LEVEL. PERSONS OUTSIDE OF THE MANDATORY EVACUATION AREAS WHO HAVE NOT EVACUATED SHOULD PLAN TO SHELTER IN PLACE IN A WELL BUILT STRUCTURE DURING THE PERIOD OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS.

These holdouts are exercising very poor judgment. They need to get out of there. The storm surge could be 20 feet or more. Fortunately most people are fleeing, but they're going to be affected somewhat. Ike is almost the size of Texas.

I'm also hearing reports of gas stations bumping up prices, because a number of major oil refineries are due to be flooded and shut down. This obviously shows the need to drill more off the coast and put more pressure on those refineries for our oil needs.

Brace yourself, Houston.