Here at Pete Thomas Outdoors we appreciate extreme weather and respect the ferocity of Mother Nature, and one storm receiving lots of attention this week is Tropical Storm Isaac.
This is due in part because Isaac, which is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane by Friday morning, will threaten lives and property throughout much of the Caribbean.
But more so because Isaac is on course to arrive off southern Florida on Monday, which marks the beginning of the Republican National Convention in Tampa.
According to most computer models, Isaac will lose strength as it passes over the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba, but regain strength after that, making landfall or skirting southwestern Florida, at hurricane strength, early Monday.
The convention is scheduled to run Monday through Thursday.
It remains unclear whether Isaac will remain on its predicted course, but you can bet it's being closely watched.
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, a Democrat, told CNN: "We hope it moves further away from us, but if it doesn't it's still going to be a great convention and I think the Republican National Committee is going to be happy."
That will depend, of course, on the level of disruption caused by Isaac.
On Wednesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center, a tropical storm warning was in effect for Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe and many surrounding islands. A hurricane watch was in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
A hurricane watch also was in effect for the south coast of the Dominican Republic from Isla Saona westward to the Haiti-Dominican Republic southern border.
Isaac was boasting maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. On Monday morning Isaac's winds are expected to be between 74-95 mph (Category 1).
-- Graphic is courtesy of Weather Underground
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