Alex Gifford, of San Marcos, Texas, skim boards as Tropical Storm Erin approaches the Texas coast, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007, in North Padre Island, Texas. Tropical Storm Erin formed Wednesday in the Gulf of Mexico and headed toward Texas, threatening to bring downpours to a state that already has had one of its rainiest summers on record. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) - ( AP )