Isaac marches forward toward Hispaniola; Central Gulf Coast becomes more threatened for U.S. landfall

NOAA [1]

UPDATE 08/23/12 10:00 p.m. 

Tropical Storm Isaac continues to head quickly west-northwest at 18 mph. Isaac is forecasted to cross Haiti as a tropical storm.

The forecasted path has shifted further to the west and closer to Louisiana.

The current forecast by the NHC has Isaac heading to the border of Mississippi and Alabama on midday Tuesday as a category 1 hurricane. There is still plenty of uncertainty in the path and the intensity of Isaac.

UPDATE 08/23/12 5:00 p.m.

The path of Tropical Storm Isaac continues to push further to the west and closer to Louisiana.

Isaac is currently slow to intensify, but strengthening is expected over the next 36 hrs.

Models are having a tough time finding the center of the storm since the center of the circulation is very broad.

Hurricane Hunters are being sent to the storm to get a better understanding of the system.

UPDATE 08/22/12 10:00 p.m.

Isaac remains a tropical storm, but is still expected to intensify by late Thursday into early Friday. The forecasted path has shifted slightly to the west and could be a bigger concern for the Gulf of Mexico.