Hurricane Ike is going to hit us.  It will probably not be what's considered a direct hit, meaning that the most violent center of the storm should be south and west of us.  If things go as currently predicted, the storm's "dirty side" should hit us full-force, though, and as the storm is projected to change directions and shift northeast, there's a good chance that the dirty side of the storm will stall over us as the storm changes trajectory.  

Now, we're far enough inland that we should be safe; however, we're looking at possibilities to move further up and in if, in the next 24 hours, it looks like that may become necessary. 

Ike itself striking Houston isn't a huge concern right now (for me, anyway) because it will considerably weaken after traveling on land for a bit.  What does concern me is that the storm could be a Category 4 hurricane (they go up to 5) when it hits the coast, and it's very, very wide storm (earlier tonite, tropical storm-force winds extended 205 miles from the center) that could really wreak havoc on the coast.  That could screw the power grids pretty good, and we could lose electricity for a few days.  So pray that doesn't happen.

Also, the "dirty" side of a hurricane can potentially drop tornadoes once the bulk of the rain moves on. 

Finally, if the storm shifts shortly before landfall the the east, it could still hit us straight on.  Of note: 8 of the last 10 storms to come through this part of the Gulf have made such a shift in the last 24 hours before landfall.  (And two of the most recent shifts bailed us out from taking the brunt of hurricanes Rita and Gustav)

So there you have it.  We're fine, and we'll likely stay fine, but we're keeping an eye on the situation and will be ready to skip town if we must.  Please don't worry about us, but please do pray for us!

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