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Tropical storm Isaac bears down on Gulf Coast as hurricane warning issued Tropical storm Isaac bears down on Gulf Coast as hurricane warning issued
(35 minutes later)
Tropical storm Isaac rolled over the open Gulf of Mexico on Monday, where it was expected to grow into a hurricane before hitting land somewhere between Louisiana and Florida and close to the seventh anniversary of hurricane Katrina. Tropical Storm Isaac continued on a path towards the US Gulf Coast on Monday, prompting fears that a strengthened hurricane could hit New Orleans on the seventh anniversary of Katrina.
The storm that left 19 dead in Haiti blew past the Florida Keys with little damage and promised a drenching but little more for Tampa, where the planned Monday start of the Republican national convention was pushed back a day. Having soaked Florida over the weekend, the storm – which is already thought responsible for the deaths of 19 people in Haiti and two in the Dominican Republic – is expected to gather strength before making landfall on Wednesday.
The National Hurricane Center predicted Isaac would grow to a Category 1 hurricane over the warm Gulf and possibly hit late Tuesday somewhere along a roughly 300-mile (500-kilometer) stretch from the south-west of New Orleans to the Florida panhandle. That would be one day shy of seven years after hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.
Earlier predictions said Isaac would be a Category 2 hurricane but National Hurricane Center director Rick Knabb told ABC's Good Morning America on Monday that Isaac would not be as strong as they initially thought.
The size of the warning area and the storm's wide bands of rain and wind prompted emergency declarations in four states, and the hurricane-tested residents were boarding up homes, stocking up on food and water or getting ready to evacuate.
Forecasters said if Isaac hits during high tide, the storm could push floodwaters as deep as 12ft (4m) on shore in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and up to 6ft in the Florida panhandle.
Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency, and 53,000 residents of St Charles Parish near New Orleans were told to leave ahead of the storm. Mississippi governor Phil Bryant, Florida governor Rick Scott and Alabama governor Robert Bentley also declared states of emergency.Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency, and 53,000 residents of St Charles Parish near New Orleans were told to leave ahead of the storm. Mississippi governor Phil Bryant, Florida governor Rick Scott and Alabama governor Robert Bentley also declared states of emergency.
Meanwhile, the oncoming storm stopped work on rigs that account for 24% of daily oil production in the US portion of the Gulf of Mexico and 8% of daily natural gas production there, the federal bureau of safety and environmental enforcement said in its latest update Sunday. The oncoming storm stopped work on rigs that account for 24% of daily oil production in the US portion of the Gulf of Mexico and 8% of daily natural gas production there, the federal bureau of safety and environmental enforcement said in its latest update Sunday.
Several area governors have altered their plans for this week's Republican convention in Tampa. Bentley has canceled his trip, and Jindal said he is likely to do so unless the threat from the storm subsides. Scott gave up a chance to speak. Forecasters said if Isaac hits during high tide, the storm could push floodwaters as deep as 12ft (4m) on shore in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and up to 6ft in the Florida panhandle.
Even though the storm was moving well west of Tampa, tropical storm-force winds and heavy rains were possible in the area because of Isaac's large size, forecasters said. A small group of protesters braved rainy weather Sunday and vowed to continue despite the weather, which already forced the Republicans to cancel Monday's opening session of the convention. Instead, the Republicans will briefly gavel the gathering to order Monday afternoon and then recess until Tuesday. Isaac has already forced the cancellation of the first day of the Republican National Convention, due to take place from Monday in Tampa, Florida. The event – which is to serve as a coronation of Mitt Romney as the party's presidential nominee – may further be hit if Isaac inflicts widespread damage later on in the week.
As of 8am ET Monday, the storm was centered about 185 miles west-south-west of Fort Myers, Florida, and 360 miles south-east of the mouth of the Mississippi river, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Isaac had top sustained winds of 65mph and was moving west-northwest near 14mph. By Monday morning, weather experts were suggesting that the storm was tracking to the west, and that Tampa had seen the worst of the weather.
Isaac is expected to hit the Gulf Coast early Wednesday – seven years almost to the day that Hurricane Katrina hit. More than 1,800 people killed in the storm and subsequent flooding.
Flood defences in New Orleans, which were breached in 2005, have been rebuilt at a total cost running into billions of dollars and have so far proved sufficient to resist post-Katrina storms.
But fears of the impact of the latest storm persist. By 8am ET Monday Isaac was centred around 185 miles off the Gulf Coast.
Monica Bozeman, meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, said that winds were likely to strengthen and that they expect the storm to be upgraded to a category one hurricane "in the next 36 hours". She added: "It is tracking a bit more westward than we thought, so it could affect a wide area from the Florida panhandle to Louisiana."
Bozeman said Isaac was "weaker than Katrina" but remained a significant storm. "It is broader so it should have a wider impact along the Gulf Coast. The intensity, we are not quite sure yet," she told the Guardian.
Before it honed in on America's coast, Isaac left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. In Haiti, the official number of deaths resulting from the storm jumped to 19 on Monday. Two died in the neighbouring Dominican Republic.
The storm knocked out power temporarily for around 16,000 customers throughout south Florida, and 555 flights were canceled at Miami International Airport.The storm knocked out power temporarily for around 16,000 customers throughout south Florida, and 555 flights were canceled at Miami International Airport.
In the low-lying Keys, isolated patches of flooding were reported and some roads were littered with downed palm fronds and small branches. But officials said damage appeared to be minimal.In the low-lying Keys, isolated patches of flooding were reported and some roads were littered with downed palm fronds and small branches. But officials said damage appeared to be minimal.
Before reaching Florida, Isaac was blamed for eight deaths in Haiti and two more in the Dominican Republic, and downed trees and power lines in Cuba. The storm has also been cited as a factor in a road traffic accident in Florida which killed two people.