 Owing to the abrupt nature of Abby 's development on August 7 , residents had little time to prepare for the storm . According to <unk> <unk> , " in the absence of aircraft reconnaissance and radar information , two reasonably new tools in storm detection , Abby could well have formed and approached the shore before knowledge of a tropical storm was gained . " Gale warnings were raised from Galveston to San Antonio immediately following the storm 's formation and were kept in place through the morning of August 8 . <unk> orders were issued for Matagorda Island and most complied , with some deciding to remain at their homes . Personnel at Matagorda Island Air Force Base were evacuated to Victoria . Red Cross facilities were <unk> and public shelters were opened in the area . At the mouth of the Colorado River , <unk> vessels were tied down with extra rope . Within the Weather Bureau , members of the Galveston office were the first to notice the system and relayed to the other offices in the area to <unk> their <unk> to follow the system . 
