Hurricane Isaac 2012; New Orleans on 'High Alert' as Storm Threatens Category 3 Hurricane
Hurricane Isaac 2012 is narrowing in on New Orleans and neighboring Gulf Coast states as conditions intensify. Some evacuations along the coast have been advised. However, meteorologist are still unsure of the exact speed and strenght Hurricane Isaac 2012 will have as it travels over the Gulf of Mexico. Damage can be extensive.
"We are just on high alert. I know the anxiety level is high," New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. Many schools and businesses have been closed. Homes have been boarded and supplies purchased in anticipation for the storm.
"A large, slow-moving system is going to pose a lot of problems -- winds, flooding, storm surge and even potentially down the road river flooding," said Richard Knabb, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami. "That could happen for days after the event."
"The storm is somewhat uncertain. Out of an abundance of caution, we will begin to take these precautions as quickly as we can," Mayor Landrieu said.
Isaac is continuing to strengthen in power, but has also grown into a massive storm; its now tropical-storm conditions have the possibility of affecting 240 miles out from its center. So even regions outside the center of the storm will be hit by strong winds and extensive rainfall, and flooding is one of the core concerns for many places near Isaac's current track.
"There's really nothing that's going to stop this storm from forming and from strengthening," Jindal said, according to Reuters.
Isaac did little damage as it stormed pass Key West, Fl., with heavy rains and winds. The forecast predictions for the storm delayed the Republican National Convention that was supposed to begin Monday, Aug. 27, in Tampa.
