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| Isaac Upgraded to Category 1 Hurricane | Isaac Upgraded to Category 1 Hurricane |
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| NEW ORLEANS — The huge storm headed for the Gulf Coast was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday as it continued to gain strength, though when it makes landfall it will almost certainly be a far smaller storm than initially feared, forecasters said. | NEW ORLEANS — The huge storm headed for the Gulf Coast was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday as it continued to gain strength, though when it makes landfall it will almost certainly be a far smaller storm than initially feared, forecasters said. |
| Hurricane Isaac, with sustained winds of 80 miles per hour, was projected to hit somewhere in southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service. | Hurricane Isaac, with sustained winds of 80 miles per hour, was projected to hit somewhere in southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service. |
| Even before then, the coast — and areas extending inland from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle — was bracing for strong winds, heavy rain and flooding. The threat of tornadoes has also increased with the approach of the storm. | Even before then, the coast — and areas extending inland from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle — was bracing for strong winds, heavy rain and flooding. The threat of tornadoes has also increased with the approach of the storm. |
| A hurricane warning was in effect for areas east of Morgan City, which sits on the Atchafalaya River in south-central Louisiana, and extending into Mississippi. That stretch of coast includes New Orleans. | A hurricane warning was in effect for areas east of Morgan City, which sits on the Atchafalaya River in south-central Louisiana, and extending into Mississippi. That stretch of coast includes New Orleans. |
| “We fully expect that we will get the brunt of it,” said Mayor Mitchell J. Landrieu of New Orleans. He called on residents to “hunker down,” saying, “Now is the time, in the next 24 to 36 hours, to do that.” | “We fully expect that we will get the brunt of it,” said Mayor Mitchell J. Landrieu of New Orleans. He called on residents to “hunker down,” saying, “Now is the time, in the next 24 to 36 hours, to do that.” |
| The city’s airport was closed early Tuesday, bus and streetcar service was suspended, and emergency shelters were opened. Some 680 National Guard troops were activated and on duty. | The city’s airport was closed early Tuesday, bus and streetcar service was suspended, and emergency shelters were opened. Some 680 National Guard troops were activated and on duty. |
| Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in low-lying areas of several Louisiana parishes, but not in New Orleans, although Mr. Landrieu asked about 900 residents in neighborhoods not protected by levees to relocate temporarily. | Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in low-lying areas of several Louisiana parishes, but not in New Orleans, although Mr. Landrieu asked about 900 residents in neighborhoods not protected by levees to relocate temporarily. |
| On Tuesday afternoon, the storm was moving slowly to the northwest at 8 m.p.h. By 4 p.m. Central time, it was about 30 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River and 105 miles southeast of New Orleans. | On Tuesday afternoon, the storm was moving slowly to the northwest at 8 m.p.h. By 4 p.m. Central time, it was about 30 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River and 105 miles southeast of New Orleans. |
| The storm had been projected to strike as a Category 2 hurricane, but its eventual force was revised downward Tuesday morning. It has been fickle and has confounded predictions all along. | The storm had been projected to strike as a Category 2 hurricane, but its eventual force was revised downward Tuesday morning. It has been fickle and has confounded predictions all along. |
| At a news conference in Baton Rouge on Tuesday, Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana said hurricane-force winds might last 6 to 10 hours, and 10 to 16 inches of rain could fall on some areas of the state. | At a news conference in Baton Rouge on Tuesday, Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana said hurricane-force winds might last 6 to 10 hours, and 10 to 16 inches of rain could fall on some areas of the state. |
| Mr. Jindal said he had activated 4,158 National Guard troops and that prisoners had been relocated from facilities in coastal parishes, some to state prisons. | Mr. Jindal said he had activated 4,158 National Guard troops and that prisoners had been relocated from facilities in coastal parishes, some to state prisons. |
| The most serious danger may not be from the wind, according to forecasters, but from the enormous amount of water that the storm will bring with it and push in front of it. Officials warned of 12-foot storm surges along a broad area of the coast and days of nonstop rain, in some places possibly adding up to 20 inches of water. | The most serious danger may not be from the wind, according to forecasters, but from the enormous amount of water that the storm will bring with it and push in front of it. Officials warned of 12-foot storm surges along a broad area of the coast and days of nonstop rain, in some places possibly adding up to 20 inches of water. |
| “The slow motion and the large size of this system are the areas of concern,” Rick Knabb, director of the National Hurricane Center, said in a conference call with reporters. | “The slow motion and the large size of this system are the areas of concern,” Rick Knabb, director of the National Hurricane Center, said in a conference call with reporters. |
| During a brief appearance Tuesday morning in Washington, President Obama warned Gulf Coast residents to heed evacuation warnings from local and federal officials. | During a brief appearance Tuesday morning in Washington, President Obama warned Gulf Coast residents to heed evacuation warnings from local and federal officials. |
| “Now is not the time to tempt fate, now is not the time to dismiss official warnings,” Mr. Obama said. “You need to take this seriously.” | “Now is not the time to tempt fate, now is not the time to dismiss official warnings,” Mr. Obama said. “You need to take this seriously.” |
| With the memory of the battering that his predecessor took after the Bush administration’s widely disparaged response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Mr. Obama seemed to be taking pains to show that his administration was on top of things this time around. Several times during his remarks he specified that he had personally directed various federal agencies to do all they can. | With the memory of the battering that his predecessor took after the Bush administration’s widely disparaged response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Mr. Obama seemed to be taking pains to show that his administration was on top of things this time around. Several times during his remarks he specified that he had personally directed various federal agencies to do all they can. |
| All storms have their own personalities, and this storm promises a different experience from Hurricane Katrina. While it could possibly hit New Orleans directly — unlike Katrina, which landed most forcefully in Mississippi but sent surge waters against the city’s faulty levees and flood walls — Isaac will have to contend with a $14.5 billion flood protection system that has been all but completed by the Army Corps of Engineers. | |
| To the east of Louisiana, there was some good news after the National Hurricane Center lifted a hurricane warning that had been in effect for portions of Alabama and Mississippi. | To the east of Louisiana, there was some good news after the National Hurricane Center lifted a hurricane warning that had been in effect for portions of Alabama and Mississippi. |
| Gov. Robert Bentley of Alabama followed that announcement by lifting a mandatory evacuation order for portions of Baldwin and Mobile Counties, replacing it with voluntary evacuation orders for low-lying areas. | Gov. Robert Bentley of Alabama followed that announcement by lifting a mandatory evacuation order for portions of Baldwin and Mobile Counties, replacing it with voluntary evacuation orders for low-lying areas. |
| Mandatory evacuations remain in place for parts of Mississippi, and shelters have opened all along the coast. Evacuations have also been announced in several communities outside the levees in South Louisiana, as well as for all of St. Charles Parish, west of New Orleans. | Mandatory evacuations remain in place for parts of Mississippi, and shelters have opened all along the coast. Evacuations have also been announced in several communities outside the levees in South Louisiana, as well as for all of St. Charles Parish, west of New Orleans. |
| Curfews beginning at 7 p.m. have also been put in place in some counties in Mississippi. | Curfews beginning at 7 p.m. have also been put in place in some counties in Mississippi. |
Reporting was contributed by Kim Severson from Atlanta; John Schwartz from New Orleans; Clifford Krauss from Houston; Lizette Alvarez from Tampa, Fla.; Dave Thier from St. Charles Parish, La.; Helene Cooper from Washington; and Christine Hauser from New York. | Reporting was contributed by Kim Severson from Atlanta; John Schwartz from New Orleans; Clifford Krauss from Houston; Lizette Alvarez from Tampa, Fla.; Dave Thier from St. Charles Parish, La.; Helene Cooper from Washington; and Christine Hauser from New York. |