HOUSTON -- The models predicting Hurricane Ike's path shifted once again Tuesday, moving the storm back north and firmly on the Texas gulf coast, KPRC Local 2 reported Tuesday. Houston is still in the cone of uncertainty.

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At 7 p.m. Tuesday, the center of Hurricane Ike was at 23.1 north and 84.0 west, about 95 miles west of Havana, Cuba. It was moving toward the west-northwest at about 10 mph and had maximum sustained winds near 75 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane.

The center of the National Hurricane Center's forecast cone was headed straight for Houston on Monday afternoon, but shifted toward south Texas by Monday night.

By Tuesday afternoon, Ike shifted back toward the north.

"That path has changed dramatically from last night at 10 to this afternoon. The models have changed. It looks like a strike on the Texas coast, probably around midnight Friday," KPRC Local 2 chief meteorologist Frank Billingsley said. "It puts us on the dirty side of this system as far as heavy rain, and possible wind and storm surge."

Hurricane Ike roared across Cuba west of the densely populated capital's aging buildings Tuesday after tearing down the length of the island nation, ravaging homes, killing at least four people and forcing 1.2 million to evacuate. Ike had already killed at least 80 people in the Caribbean.

Ike is expected to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane by early Friday.

"This is a tightly wound system that is going to continue to gain strength as it moves over the Gulf of Mexico," Billingsley said. "The gulf has areas of very warm water -- about 86 degrees. When Ike passes over it, that's what's going to pump up the strength from a Category 2 to a Category 3 hurricane by early in the morning Thursday, if not sooner."

Billingsley said Ike would maintain that strength because the water closest to the Texas coast is warm as well.

"We're not looking for it to weaken dramatically," he said. "The current models show a strike at Corpus as the furthest south, up to Matagorda and Freeport. Everyone in the cone still has an equal strike chance. A third of the time, the cone is wrong. But more and more of this is looking like a Texas strike. The line right now goes right into the Rockport area."

Harris County officials are keeping a close eye on Ike.

Gov. Rick Perry has already issued a disaster declaration for 88 counties.

"While Hurricane Gustav is still fresh on the minds of coastal residents, we must now turn our attention to Hurricane Ike as it poses a potential threat to the Texas coast," said Perry, who also requested a presidential disaster declaration for the 88 counties. "Hurricanes by their nature are unpredictable, and although we cannot predict to a certainty where Ike will make landfall, we continue to monitor this storm and prepare for any potential impact on our communities."

Up to 7,500 National Guard members and 19 aerial resources were on standby, Perry's office said. Many of their resources are already in place.

"We have several hundred soldiers in our brigade that were on active duty for Gustav," Capt. Adam Collett said. "They're still on active duty for Ike and we're getting prepared to preposition those according to the directives of the state."

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Harris County Prepares For Ike: Carl Willis Reports

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The 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team will have about 300 soldiers assisting with the state. Their biggest impact will be the manpower and vehicles to help things get back in order.

Texas Task Force 1 and Texas Task Force 2 are also on standby.

Fuel monitors are working to ensure adequate fuel supplies along potential evacuation routes and monitoring demand increases.

Texas is coordinating with Oklahoma, which is prepared to shelter 12,500 medical special needs patients from Texas if necessary.

Individuals who cannot self-evacuate can let responders know who and where they are before an emergency or evacuation takes place by calling 211.

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