Isaac tracking westward

Tropical Storm Isaac is failing to gain enough strength to become a hurricane south of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, moving in a more westerly direction that’s helped shift the storm’s projected path a bit further away from Southwest Florida.

The storm’s 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. updates from the National Hurricane Center show that the storm is moving more westward, but it still is expected to take its northwest turn. The storm, however, now isn’t expected to reach Category 1 winds until Sunday, after it meanders over Cuba and begins sucking up 90-degree Gulf of Mexico water.

The latest five-day forecast shows the storm making landfall near the Alabama-Mississippi border, but the Sarasota area is not out of the storm’s cone of uncertainty and residents are being asked to monitor the storm closely and prepare this weekend in case the storm’s track changes. Regardless of the storm’s path, Sarasota will begin to see rain and wind from the storm’s outerbands as early as Sunday evening. Depending on how close the storm is to the coast as it treks northward, more beach erosion along the coast is also expected.

Both Sarasota and Manatee County Emergency Operation officials are holding separate meetings to discuss preparation and planning efforts for the storm. Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Ed McCrane announced yesterday the county would declare a local state of emergency at 2:30 p.m. today, but it’s unknown if that decision will change if the storm’s future updates continue to push the track further west and away from the area.

For more information on Isaac, check www.yourobserver.com.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].