(NOAA ) AT 400 PM CDT…2100 UTC…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ISAAC WAS LOCATED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT NEAR
LATITUDE 26.4 NORTH…LONGITUDE 86.2 WEST. ISAAC IS MOVING TOWARD
THE NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH…19 KM/H…AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD
SPEED. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…

THE CENTER OF ISAAC WILL MOVE OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO TONIGHT AND BE NEAR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA BY LATE TUESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED AND ARE NOW NEAR 70 MPH…110 KM/H…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST…

AND ISAAC IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER TONIGHT OR EARLY
TUESDAY…AND CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN UNTIL LANDFALL OCCURS ALONG
THE NORTHERN GULF COAST.

TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205 MILES…335 KM
FROM THE CENTER.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE BASED ON REPORTS FROM THE
AIRCRAFT AND NEARBY NOAA BUOYS IS 981 MB…28.97 INCHES.

STORM SURGE…  THE COMBINATION OF A STORM SURGE AND THE TIDE WILL
CAUSE NORMALLY DRY AREAS NEAR THE COAST TO BE FLOODED BY RISING
WATERS.

THE WATER COULD REACH THE FOLLOWING DEPTHS ABOVE GROUND IF THE PEAK SURGE OCCURS AT THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE…

* SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI…6 TO 12 FT
* ALABAMA…6 TO 9 FT
* SOUTH-CENTRAL LOUISIANA…3 TO 6 FT
* FLORIDA PANHANDLE…3 TO 6 FT
* FLORIDA WEST COAST INCLUDING APALACHEE BAY…1 TO 3 FT

THE DEEPEST WATER WILL OCCUR ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST IN AREAS OF
ONSHORE FLOW. SURGE-RELATED FLOODING DEPENDS ON THE RELATIVE TIMING OF THE SURGE AND THE TIDAL CYCLE…AND CAN VARY GREATLY OVER SHORT DISTANCES.

FOR INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA… PLEASE SEE PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. NEAR THE COAST…THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS WAVES.  (read more)