Isaac is Officially a Hurricane Now [PHOTOS]

Isaac is officially a hurricane that could possibly flood the coasts of four states with heavy rain.

People in New Orleans are hunkered down behind levees that have been modified since the devastation of Katrina seven years ago this week.

Forecasters say that Isaac is a huge storm and that it's effects could be felt up to 200 miles from its center.

Hurricane Isaac could push walls of water and dump much rain to flood the low-lying coast in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami has upgraded Isaac to a Category 1 hurricane. As of 12:45 CDT today, the storm has surface wind speeds of 75 mph and flight-level winds at 110 mph.

Shelters are open for for people who missed the chance to get away before the outer bands of the storm blow ashore. Some areas could get up to 20 inched of rain.

Landfall is expeted in southeast Louisiana tonight or early Wednesday.

BULLETIN
HURRICANE ISAAC INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 30A
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092012
100 PM CDT TUE AUG 28 2012

...HURRICANE ISAAC MOVING NORTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE MOUTH OF THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER...FLOODING FROM STORM SURGE AND RAINFALL
EXPECTED...

SUMMARY OF 100 PM CDT...1800 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...28.4N 88.7W
ABOUT 55 MI...85 KM SSE OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
ABOUT 135 MI...220 KM SE OF NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...75 MPH...120 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 310 DEGREES AT 10 MPH...17 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...975 MB...28.79 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY...

NONE.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* EAST OF MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA TO THE MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER...
INCLUDING METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS...LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN...AND LAKE
MAUREPAS

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* INTRACOASTAL CITY TO MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* THE MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER TO DESTIN FLORIDA
* MORGAN CITY TO CAMERON LOUISIANA

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS TO JUST WEST OF CAMERON LOUISIANA

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND
PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

via [CBS News]