Tropical Storm Isaac remains on track to threaten Florida

By Ken Kaye and Kathleen Haughney, Sun Sentinel
11:00 a.m. EST, August 23, 2012

Tropical Storm Isaac is projected to approach the Keys on Monday as a hurricane. (National Hurricane Center / Aug 23, 2012)

Tropical Storm Isaac increased forward speed slightly as it moved west across the Caribbean Thursday, continuing on a course that should take it over Hispaniola and Cuba over the weekend.

It also remains on a projected track that would take it over the Keys early Monday and close to Tampa on Tuesday as a hurricane.

If that projection holds, the system could bring squally to severe weather to much of the state, starting Sunday. It also would disrupt the Republican National Convention, which starts on Monday.

At 11 a.m. Thursday, Isaac was about 200 miles southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, moving west at 15 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.

The system lost some strength and organization overnight.

Just the same, it is expected to bulk up to hurricane strength before reaching Hispaniola, senior hurricane specialist Stacy Stewart of the National Hurricane Center said.

The system is projected to hit the south shore of the Dominican Republic on Friday and Haiti and southeast Cuba on Saturday.

How much time the system spends over those land areas could determine how strong it will be when it arrives near Florida.

The forecast now calls for it to be a minimal hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph when it crosses over the Keys.

From there, it is expected to move into the Gulf of Mexico and strengthen only slightly by the time it approaches Tampa.

Still, the city would be on the storm's more vicious side and subjected to howling winds and torrential rains.

For now the Republican Convention is still on, although Gov. Rick Scott said it might be canceled if an evacuation is ordered for that area.

Scott said on Thursday morning that state officials are working with convention officials and monitoring Isaac's progress.

?Obviously we're hopeful it doesn't hit Florida, but we must take every precaution,? Scott said.

The convention is expected to draw 4,500 delegates, plus alternates, and tens of thousands of media and politicians to the Tampa area.

It's still is uncertain how much bad weather Isaac will produce over South Florida, but the National Weather Service in Miami said the region could see tropical storm conditions starting Sunday night and through the day on Monday.

"It?s still iffy, but you have the potential for tropical condition," said weather specialist Bob Ebaugh. "You have the potential for strong tropical conditions."

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Joyce emerged in the Central Atlantic on Thursday morning. The system, moving west northwest at 17 miles per hour, has maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour. The storm is expected to approach Bermuda in five days.

Also, a new wave has rolled off the coast of Africa and could gradually develop.

Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sfl-isaac-thursday-20120822,0,7108731.story?track=rss

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