Florida Keys Ask Tourists to Leave as Isaac Nears

As Tropical Storm Isaac continued to churn out of eastern Cuba, forecasters from the National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning Saturday for the Florida Keys, the Gulf Coast from Bonita Beach south to Ocean Reef, and Florida Bay. The storm is expected to approach Sunday as a Category 1, 75- to 80-mph hurricane across the Lower Keys and Florida's southwestern tip.

In the Florida Keys, Monroe County Emergency Management officials are urging tourists to leave "if they have the means to do so safely," or to stay inside hotels or shelters.

Emergency management director Irene Toner said visitors should be out before Saturday night, as conditions are projected to become hazardous starting early Sunday morning.

Monroe County Airports director Peter Horton said Delta and AirTran airlines are adding extra Key West departures until the airport closes at 7 p.m. Saturday; no commercial flights will operate Sunday and likely not Monday as well.

The large storm could produce from six to 10 inches of rain and powerful gusts across much of South Florida, reports the Miami Herald. Isaac expected to approach Sunday as a 75- to 80-mph hurricane, veering across the Lower Keys and skirting the state's southwestern tip.

Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency Saturday and said officials were ready for storm surge, bridge closures and other problems that could arise during next week's Republican National Convention 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.

As of Saturday morning, the AP reports, 10 flights had been cancelled at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport due to Isaac. Three of the flights were to and from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

At Miami International Airport, seven flights were cancelled Saturday, including six to and from Port-au-Prince as well as one departure flight to Key West. Airport spokesman Greg Chin told AP all flights stop only when sustained winds reach 50 mph and the Federal Aviation Administration tower closes and flights cannot be directed. Otherwise, it is the airlines' decision whether to operate flights.

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. Otherwise, however, convention preparations were moving ahead as usual.