At 1000 am cdt the center of Tropical Storm Isaac was located near latitude 28.1 north, longitude 88.5 west.   Isaac is moving toward the northwest near 10 mph / 17 km/h.  A northwest motion at a slightly slower speed is expected over the next day or two.  On the forecast track the center of Isaac should reach the coastline of Southeastern Louisiana as early as this evening.

Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph / 110 km/h with higher gusts possible.  Isaac is expected to become a hurricane before making landfall and begin to slowly weaken thereafter.  Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 185 miles / 295 km from the center.

The Hurricane warning has been replaced with a Tropical Storm Warning from the Mississippi-Alabama border eastward to Destin, Florida.  A Hurricane warning is in effect for east of Morgan City, Louisiana to the Mississippi-Alabama border including the metropolitan New Orleans area.

Wind Conditions – Tropical storm conditions are beginning to occur near the mouth of the Mississippi River and will reach other portions of the coastline within the tropical storm and hurricane warning areas.  By late this afternoon, Hurricane conditions are expected to reach
the Louisiana coast by late afternoon.

Rainfall Conditions – Isaac is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 7 to 14 inches with possible isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches…in Southeastern Louisiana and Southern Mississippi, Southern Alabama and the extreme Western Florida panhandle.  Localized flooding is expected throughout various parts of the New Orleans metro area.

At present Isaac is expected to reach the Louisiana coast this evening moving on a path that will take the storm just to the west of the city.  Isaac is expected to be on land impacting the New Orleans metro area Wednesday morning at 7:00 am.

Power outages, downed trees and road debris are expected as a result of Isaac.  While it is our intention to re-open the office soonest upon passage of Isaac, our return to normal operations will be guided by state and local authorities permitting the movement of persons on roadways.

We will work to provide updated information on Isaac and our operations as this situation develops.