Hurricane Ike in the Gulf of Mexico closing in on the Texas coast. The image was taken at 4:45 a.m. EDT Friday. Sept. 12, 2008. At 5 a.m. EDT Friday, the storm was centered about 265 miles southeast of Galveston, moving to the west-northwest near 13 mph. Ike was a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds that had increased slightly to near 105 mph.
Daniel Gallegos watches as a wave crashes into the seawall as Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas coast, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, in Galveston, Texas.
Waves crash behind a statue commemorating the devastating storm of 1900 as Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas coast, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, in Galveston, Texas. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 is to date the deadliest natural disaster ever to strike the United States with most official reports placing the death toll at 8,000.
Surfside Beach Police and firefighters tour flooded neighborhoods in Surfside Beach, Texas, Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, in preparation for Hurricane Ike.
Buses with Hurricane Ike evacuees from Beaumont, Texas, are met at the Faulkner Park reception center in Tyler, Texas, by members of the Tyler Fire Dept., as clouds move in front of the moon, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008.
Traffic lines Interstate 45 leaving Houston as Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas Gulf Coast Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, in Conroe, Texas.
Pool deck chairs sit at the bottom of a pool as Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas Gulf Coast Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, in Houston, Texas.
A statue of Jesus calming the sea is seen at sunrise in Corpus Christi Bay the in Corpus Chrisit, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008. Hurricane Ike is expected to strike the Texas coast Friday.
Ciara Bedford, 2, accompanies her mother to the supermarket as they stock up on water in preparation for Hurricane Ike, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, in Victoria, Texas. Hundreds of thousands of residents in Texas' coastal areas, including parts of Houston, have been ordered to evacuate as Ike rages across the Gulf of Mexico on a collision course with the state.
Francisco Gonzalez, right, and Adrian Demetreo, left, board the windows of Galveston Furniture Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, in Galveston, Texas. Hurricane Ike is expected to hit the Texas Gulf Coast this weekend.
Willis Porter carries his bags as he waits to sign up to board a bus at an evacuation center on Galveston Island Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, in Galveston, Texas.
A "Take A Hike Ike!" sign is seen in Port Aransas, Texas, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. Hurricane Ike is expected to strike the Texas coast early this weekend.
Wade Holder straps in an infant being transported by Air Medical from Corpus Christi to a hospital in San Antonio after arriving at Hallmark Million Air in San Antonio on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008 in preparation for Hurricane Ike.
Dave Lay, the chief pilot with Air Medical holds an infant he just flew from a Corpus Christi hospital at Hallmark Million Air where the infant will be transferred to a hospital in San Antonio on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008 in preparation for Hurricane Ike.
Phillip Winter of Corpus Christi, Texas, fills up his generator and two extra fuel containers with gas Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008, as he makes preparations for riding out the storm in Corpus Christi, Texas. Hurricane Ike is threatening cities across the Texas Gulf Coast, but many people are choosing not to evacuate the area.
Robert Lee Williams, with his grandmother Josephine Williams, center, receives an ID tag as they wait to be evacuated at the Oveal Williams Senior Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. The city began evacuation of people with special needs as Hurricane Ike moves closer to the Texas coast.
Bruce Clark works to cover the windows of his business as Hurricane Ike looms, in Port Aransas, Texas, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. Hurricane Ike is expected to strike the Texas coast early this weekend.
Jo Baremore begins unpacking a cot to be assembled in the gymnasium of the First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept 10, 2008, in preparation for receiving Hurricane Ike evacuees from the Texas coast.
Gene Trelles counts his pieces of plywood after loading them onto a cart Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008 at the Corpus Christi, Texas Lowe's as he prepares for the approaching Hurricane Ike near Corpus Christi.
Jose Sosa and Oscar Guerra check out flashlights at the Lowe's store in Corpus Christi, Texas as they prepare for Hurricane Ike on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008.