Tropical Storm Isaac expected to make Gulf coast landfall Tuesday

[ThePythonicCow]

Tropical Storm Isaac, which has delayed the opening of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, is expected to make landfall somewhere in the southern Gulf coast region of the US Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. It will likely strengthen to a Category 1, 2 or perhaps 3 hurricane before then.

It could end up landing in the New Orleans area, where Katrina (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Katrina_in_New_Orleans) hit in 2005. Fortunately it does not seem to be as strong as Katrina.

From Is Isaac The 'New' Katrina? (Zerohedge) (http://www.zerohedge.com/news/isaac-new-katrina) comes this map of various current projections of Isaac's future tracking over the next 5 days:

http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user3303/imageroot/2012/08-2/20120826_Isaac2_0.png
Click here (http://www.weatherbellmodels.com/weather/atcf/AL09_current.png) for a larger version of the above image, from the weatherbellmodels.com website.

You can find more analysis of this storm, with maps and explanations, at Tropical storm Isaac forecast to get stronger, hurricane warnings in effect (boston.com) (http://www.boston.com/news/weather/weather_wisdom/2012/08/tropical_storm_isaac_getting_s.html).

[Jules]

My prayers are with those folks in the gulf area. Funny how mother nature can interrupt politics. I'm glad this one is not as bad as Katrina.

[ghostrider]

tropical storm on one side, quake swarm on the other 2012 fun fun fun.

[ThePythonicCow]

I'm glad this one is not as bad as Katrina.
That's not clear yet :).

From Forbes: Tropical Storm Isaac Should Rival Hurricane Katrina (http://www.forbes.com/sites/weatherbell/2012/08/26/tropical-storm-isaac-should-rival-hurricane-katrina/):




On August 24th, we warned on Forbes that Tropical Storm Isaac could pose a threat to energy markets and even rival Hurricane Katrina in its destructive power (Could Tropical Storm Isaac Turn Into Another Katrina?). While the computer models are still showing a substantial spread in solutions, it appears more likely that Isaac will make landfall somewhere near the Louisiana, Mississippi Gulf Coast. This track will provide the storm more time to intensify over the very warm water of the Gulf of Mexico.
More at the link, focused on the economic impact of Katrina and potentially Isaac, especially on oil and gas production.

[ThePythonicCow]

Here's another good map, showing when and where Isaac is likely to go:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT09/AL0912W5.gif