Officials warn storm surge from Hurricane Ike could affect Valley

Hurricane Ike will fuel a storm surge as high as 9 feet by Friday, flooding stretches of South Padre Island, a meteorologist said forecasters were projecting Thursday.

The hurricane could spawn a storm surge of 7 to 9 feet as it approaches the upper Texas Gulf Coast today, said Greg Flatt, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Brownsville.

On Thursday, the early effects of that surge were already being felt on the Island, said Burney Baskett, the town's fire chief, in his capacity as the town's emergency management coordinator.

"We're seeing some very high water," he said. "We expect to see some water on Gulf Boulevard and maybe even Padre Boulevard by early (Friday)."

The storm surge could drive floodwater into the Island's dunes, pushing water onto roadways as far as Park Road 100, Flatt said.

The effects of a full moon could exacerbate the flooding, he said.

"You could have a little more flooding than you would normally," Flatt said. "We do have higher-than-normal tides."

When the moon is at full phase, the gravitational attractions of the moon and sun act to reinforce each other, according to the National Ocean Service. Since the resultant or combined tidal force is also increased, the observed high tides are higher than average, and low tides are lower than average.

Baskett said all beach vendors have been instructed to remove their wares from the beach until after the water has receded.

"We can't close the beaches," he said, "but we've beefed up beach patrols and we are warning people to stay off the beach and out of the water."

The U.S. Coast Guard is helping with beach patrol, he said.

Joe Vega, a Cameron County assistant parks director, said beach accesses 3, 4, 5 and 6 are closed north of town.

"Andy Bowie and Isla Blanca (parks) will remain open unless flooding is worse than expected," he said. "But we are encouraging people not to get in the water."

All trash receptacles have been picked up and removed from the beach, and the surf condition signage has been relocated farther back from the water, Vega said.

The county also has asked the Texas Department of Transportation to barricade Park Road 100 north of Beach Access 4 due to the likelihood of flooding.

The next high tide at the Island is expected at 4:13 a.m. Friday, according to an advisory from the National Weather Service.

"The potential for coastal flooding will be greatest at this time," the advisory states.

A coastal flood warning is in effect for the Laguna Madre area, which means tidal flood conditions are expected Friday and possibly into Saturday.

Depending on the height of the surge, the worst effects would appear in the Modern Venice area in Port Isabel, said Ed Meza, the town's interim city manager.

"We had water in the streets down there from Dolly," he said, referring to the Category 2 hurricane that struck the Valley on July 23. "We'll be watching it closely ... and be ready to act if necessary."

A high surf advisory has also been issued. Waves near the jetties are expected to peak around 9 to 12 feet today.

The flood warning and high surf advisory remain in effect until 1 p.m. Saturday.