Isaac prompts hurricane warnings from La. to Fla. - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Hurricane warnings have been issued for an area stretching from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle as Isaac churns toward the Gulf Coast.
 
The warnings stretched from east of Morgan City, La. - which includes the New Orleans area - to Destin, Fla.
 
Isaac lashed the Florida Keys as a tropical storm on Sunday, bringing rain and strong winds. But residents for the most part took it in stride. However, preparations have begun farther north as forecasters warn Isaac could be a strong Category 2 hurricane by the time it reaches the Gulf Coast.
 
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Isaac is expected to hit somewhere between southeastern Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle either late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Forecasters say a hurricane watch has been extended to include the New Orleans metro area as Tropical Storm Isaac makes its way toward the Florida Keys.
 
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Sunday morning that the watch area now stretches from east of Morgan City, La., to the Florida Panhandle.
 
Forecasters have said that Isaac could be a dangerous Category 2 hurricane by the time it makes landfall over the northern Gulf Coast. That is expected to happen sometime late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
 
The outer bands of Isaac have already started lashing South Florida and the Florida Keys. Tropical storm-force winds extend up to 205 miles (330 kilometers) from the storm's center.
 
Isaac currently has top sustained winds of 65 mph (105 kph).

Forecasters say a strengthened Tropical Storm Isaac is bearing down on the Florida Keys.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Isaac was centered about 135 miles (220 kms) east-southeast of Key West at 8 a.m. EDT Sunday. The storm has top sustained winds of about 65 mph (100 kph) and is moving toward the west-northwest at 20 mph (31 kph).

Hours earlier, Isaac's winds were clocked at about 60 mph (95 kph).

Forecasters say further strengthening is forecast over the next 48 hours with Isaac at or near hurricane strength when it reaches the Florida Keys later Sunday.

The center says the storm could eventually become an extremely dangerous category two hurricane in coming days while taking aim at the northern rim of the Gulf of Mexico.

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