Ike Strengthens, Heads for Texas

After leaving Cuba, Hurricane Ike is strengthening and moving through the Gulf of Mexico toward south-central Texas, Bloomberg reports. The National Hurricane Center said it was possible Ike would strengthen into a “major hurricane” before landfall, probably near Corpus Christi. One independent forecaster said there was “a significant chance that Ike will be the worst hurricane to hit Texas in 40 years.”

Ike is now sustaining winds around 85mph, down from 130. But “it won't take much for Hurricane Ike to intensify,” a meteorologist said. Texas is lining up buses and canceling high school football games—to the ire of fans, CNN reports. Ike will likely miss offshore oil infrastructure in the Gulf, and parts of Florida have been taken off alert. (More Hurricane Ike stories.)