"Do any weather people here know of anything that might take the steam out of this thing?"
From what I hear either dry air, cool water, or an eye replacement cycle could knock her down a Catagory.
Texas Map:
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~LH1150/ex6map.gif
Abiline, Stephenville, Brownwood, Killen, and other cities could also be used for lodging.
The first two we don't have. Lots of humid air camped out over and near Texas, and the part of the Gulf where this thing is going is warm.
