Florida prepares for Isaac
(CBS/AP) Officials organized shelters and urged vacationers to leave the Florida Keys as Tropical Storm Isaac approached on Saturday, though preparations farther north focused on getting ready for the Republican National Convention.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency, after forecasters expanded hurricane warnings and watches for parts of Florida.
Isaac was blamed for at least three deaths after dousing flood-prone Haiti and was expected to scrape eastern Cuba on Saturday. It was forecast to hit the Keys late Sunday or early Monday, and it then could bring stormy conditions to Florida's west coast before moving to the Panhandle.
Early Saturday morning the storm was about 40 miles north of Guantanamo, Cuba, moving northwest at 17 mph. Forecasters says the storm could build to a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday afternoon, and possibly a Category 2 as it heads over the warm waters of the Gulf.
A hurricane warning had been issued for the Keys, though it was still a sunny day in Tampa. Forecast models show Isaac won't hit Tampa head-on, but the storm will still likely lash the city with rain and strong winds just as the convention ramps up.
Delta Airlines and AirTran have both added extra departures from Key West International Airport to accommodate more people wishing to leave the area. But the airport will halt all commercial traffic at 7 p.m. Saturday and all day Sunday. Flights won't resume until tropical storm force winds subside.
Early Saturday Tampa airport reported few cancellations.
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The governor said during a media briefing that delegates were being told on how to stay safe during a storm, and officials were ready for storm surge, bridge closures and other problems that could arise during the convention. He also said he was in close communication with local, state and federal agencies, as well as convention officials.
"We are a hospitality state. We know how to take care of people and we want to ensure their safety," Scott said Saturday.
Protests were also to start in full force on Sunday afternoon, and demonstrators have vowed that they will make their presence known rain or shine. Groups including Code Pink, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the AFL-CIO union and Planned Parenthood have already started arriving in Tampa, regardless of the forecast.
Still, the storm was days away from the Panhandle. It was sunny and breezy on the beach Saturday in Pensacola, with people out strolling and playing in the sand. Condo associations told people to move furniture inside, but full-scale preparations hadn't yet begun. Waves weren't yet big enough for surfers.
When the storm hits, strong winds will be "enough to knock you over" and produce severe thunderstorms, said National Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen.
Storm surge and tornadoes also are possible when Isaac hits, and winds could topple power lines and lead to lengthy power outages, Feltgen said. The Panhandle already has had a wet summer, so potential flooding was especially possible there.
Schools, airports, parks and beaches across South Florida closed ahead of the storm.
Officials were handing out sandbags to residents in the Tampa area, which often floods when heavy rainstorms hit. Sandbags also were being handed out in Homestead, 20 years after Hurricane Andrew devastated the community there.
Officials are urging visitors and tourists to the Florida Keys to leave if they have the means to safely do so.
In the Keys, squalls were moving through early Saturday and are expected to continue throughout the day as conditions begin to deteriorate ahead of Isaac's arrival.
"If you choose to remain in the Florida Keys during this storm, the only safe place for you to be is inside," said Irene Toner, emergency management director. "Our goal here is to keep everyone safe."
CBS Station WFOR reports officials have recommended people in the Keys who are camping or staying in boats to find a sturdy shelter to stay in until the storm has passed.
"Don't venture out, don't go sight-seeing; Chances are you're going to get hit by a 2×4," said Toner.
Additionally, the Snake Creek Bridge will be locked in the down position as of 3 p.m. Saturday.
Shelters are opening in several area schools; however they will not have any supplies, so any bedding, food, medicine or other materials must be brought.
Key West city workers spent several hours on Friday clearing the streets of debris and checking drains. Since Key West is only a few feet above sea level it's important work before being drenched by a tropical storm.