NY NJ PA Weather Forecasts

Hurricane Ike Continues To Strengthen Over Gulf Of Mexico

Hurricane Ike continues to strengthen this morning with sustained winds of 100 mph.  Hurricane Ike is moving towards much warmer sea surface temperatures this morning.  The current sea surface temperatures are in the mid 80’s, however as Ike moves to the west over the next 12 hours, the hurricane will move over sea surface temperatures close to 90 degrees.  The addition to warmer waters combined with very favorable upper level conditions for intensification will support the potential for Hurricane Ike to reach category 3 strength if not stronger.  

Hurricane Ike is currently expanding in size and becoming very well developed.  The Central Dense Overcast (CDO) is rapidly developing into a mature structure with a strengthening eye wall forming this morning.  

Under the influence of strong high pressure over and to the north of Hurricane Ike, the hurricane will continue to move towards the Texas coast.  I expect a landfall on late Friday night or early Saturday morning somewhere between Houston and Port O’Connor, Texas.  

After the landfall, Hurricane Ike will weaken over Texas and then begin to curve over the southern Plains and the Mississippi Valley on Saturday and Sunday.  Finally reaching the Mid Atlantic coast by Monday as a remnant low and heavy rain.