Isaac now a
tropical storm, poses potential threat to RNC
By The Associated Press
Published:
August 21, 2012
Updated: August 21, 2012 - 8:40 PM
MIAMI — Forecasters cast
a wary eye Tuesday on Tropical Storm Isaac, which was looming in the Atlantic
Ocean and poses a potential threat to Florida during next week's Republican
National Convention in Tampa.
It's much too early to
say with any certainty whether it will gain hurricane strength or make a
beeline for Tampa, on Florida's west coast. But it's the type of weather that
convention organizers knew was a possibility during the peak of hurricane
season - and they have backup plans in place in a worst-case scenario.
It's been 90 years since
a major hurricane made a direct hit on Tampa. The last to strike Florida's west
coast was Hurricane Charley, a Category 4 packing 150 mph winds. The Aug. 13,
2004, storm was small yet powerful - and was initially forecast to strike the
Tampa Bay area before it turned and slammed Port Charlotte, about 100 miles
south.
Isaac is getting better
organized as it approaches the Carribbean.
The storm's maximum
sustained winds early Wednesday are near 45 mph. The U.S. National Hurricane Center
says Isaac is expected to strengthen and could become a hurricane by Thursday.
Jeff Masters, director of
meteorology at Weatherunderground.com, said long-range storm track predictions
five days in advance are notoriously inaccurate, often off an average of 260
miles. But Masters said the climate situation has improved chances that Florida
could be in the system's sights during the GOP event that runs Monday through
Thursday.
"It would take a
perfect storm of a scenario where a bunch of factors all conspire
together," Masters said. "But we definitely have to watch this
one."
Tropical storm warnings
are in effect for Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and a swath
of islands across the Caribbean including Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe, St.
Martin, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, Anguilla, Saba, St.
Eustatius, St. Maarten, Culebra and Vieques.
Isaac is centered about
280 miles east of Guadeloupe and is moving west near 18 mph.
The storm's center is
expected to move over the Leeward Islands on Wednesday evening.
GOP and state officials
have contingency plans in place if the storm makes its way to Tampa, including
an evacuation in a worst-case scenario. About 70,000 delegates, party
officials, journalists, protesters and others are expected for the convention
that culminates in the nomination of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for
president and Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan for vice president.
Ken Jones, CEO of the RNC
host committee, downplayed concerns and expressed faith in emergency officials.
"We live in
Florida," he said. "We deal with hurricanes all the time."
He said there are plans
in place, and those plans will kick in if necessary, including possibly moving
events out of town to an alternate location.
"I have full faith
and confidence in the state of Florida, FEMA and emergency management that if
there's a bad weather incident ... we will get people out amd
make sure they're safe."
"We're monitoring
it," said James Davis, communications director for the Republican National
Convention. "We're in close touch with all the federal, state and local
agencies. We're focused on preparing still and having a great event starting on
Monday."
A four-day mock hurricane
drill was held in May featuring a pretend major storm striking the Tampa area
during the second day of the convention. Under that scenario, planners
canceled. A major hurricane is a Category 3 or above with winds at least 111
mph (170 kph) and devastating damage can occur.
"At this point,
we're prepared for everything," said Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor on
Tuesday. "We've certainly factored that into our plans."
Bryan Koon of the Florida
Division of Emergency Management says his department has been "working
very closely with all of the participants in the RNC. all the folks from Secret
Service, FEMA, Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, city of Tampa, City of st. Petersburg, for about a year and a half."
Forecasters say that
fortunately for Tampa, most Gulf storms emerge earlier or later in the
hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
Florida, historically the
nation's top target for tropical systems, has not been hit by a major hurricane
since Wilma in 2005. The new storm's potential threat comes just as South
Floridians are marking the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5
monster that resulted in 26 direct deaths and caused some $26.5 billion in
damage when it came ashore south of Miami on Aug. 24, 1992.
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