Emergency management officials in Madison, Grimes and Leon counties were focusing on the safety of local residents late Friday as they prepared for possible sustained winds of more than 50 mph.

"The greatest threat of hurricanes is to the right of the storm track," National Weather Service meteorologist Chris McKinney said. "Madisonville and places to the east will have a much higher threat of tornadoes."

The storm was expected to hit the Brazos Valley late Friday night, bringing conditions that could last 12 hours. Madison, Leon and Grimes counties were under inland hurricane wind warnings and flood watches.

The three rural counties, with a combined population of 71,047, are not state-designated shelter hubs, so officials were ushering coastal evacuees on while sheltering county residents.

"We're notifying our citizens in low-lying areas and those living in mobile homes to call the sheriff's office," Leon County Commissioner Dean Player said Friday. "We've developed a list of shelters that will accommodate our citizens so we can get them out of the weather."

Though Leon and Madison county officials were not making the locations of those shelters public Friday, Madison County residents were directed to call 936-348-9116 or visit the registration area at the county courthouse. Leon County residents can reach the sheriff's office at 903-536-2749. The state information line is 211.

Grimes County had no shelters available Friday, Sheriff Don Sowell said.

Jennifer Ogg, a shelter organizer in Madison County, said 130 people could be housed comfortably at First Baptist Church on Elm Street, across from the courthouse. Friday afternoon, she said, the shelter held 27 residents and three animals, none with special needs.

Shelly Butts, Madison County's emergency management coordinator, said local officials would open more space as needed.

"We will do everything we can to help everyone find shelter -- regardless of whether they're county residents," Butts said. "That could be the case for quite a few people coming through here."

Leon County had three shelters with space to accommodate 250 people, Player said. About 30 were staying in area shelters Friday evening, but Player said he expected that number to increase dramatically by Saturday morning.

Player said Leon County would open additional space if needed.

Grimes County Sheriff Sowell said his office would try to accommodate as many local residents as necessary, though the county had no shelter space available.

"Grimes County residents have had time to utilize assessments, relocate on their own and make preparations," Sowell said. "If there are some that need rescue or assistance, they can contact the sheriff's office."

The Grimes County Sheriff's Office can be reached at 936-873-2151.

The National Weather Service predicted that the storm could damage mobile homes and poorly constructed buildings.

There are about 2,500 mobile homes in Madison County, a similar number in Grimes County and about 1,500 in Leon County, according to U.S. census data.

Leon County Sheriff Michael Price said his agency was in a holding pattern Friday as personnel waited for the trickle of calls fielded throughout the day to increase.

"We've made sure that all of our emergency generators are fueled and running," Price said. "Our officers are already set and know we'll be working emergency hours and different shifts. We're all on standby."

Officials urged residents to prepare their homes and businesses for storm-force winds and heavy rains, securing any objects that could become projectiles.

"We've been going full blast to prepare for the hurricane-force winds, even though we're sure they won't be long and sustained," Madison County Judge Arthur Henson said. "But the other winds and the mammoth size of this thing is terrible."

Late Friday afternoon, state officials deactivated a temporary fueling site at the Madison County fairgrounds, where local Lions Club volunteers were assisting the National Guard. The station served to fuel buses charged with moving coastal residents out of harm's way, said Butts, the emergency management coordinator.

Leon Commissioner Player said the influx of evacuees could stretch local resources.

"There are a lot of people who have evacuated from the south because they have family here," Player said. "We've easily gone from 16,000 people to almost double that."

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