Isaac heading on a path similar to previous storms

A weather system approaching the Lesser Antilles was named Tropical Storm Isaac Tuesday with a forecast eerily reminscent of another “I” storm.

It’s way too early to say what will happen a week from now, and models are pointing the storm anywhere from the eastern Gulf of Mexico to the Eastern Seaboard.

Hurricane Irene was about in the same position and on the same general path at this time last year. But the National Hurricane Center does not yet see a storm as large and powerful.

Many storms moving off the coast of Africa follow similar paths and development early on, then diverge depending on the many influences of systems moving off of the U.S. mainland and upper-level winds.

Dry air north of the storm was disrupting development, the center reported, but Isaac is still forecast to become a hurricane by Thursday, when it is expected to be off the south coast of Puerto Rico.

At 8 a.m. today, the storm was 210 miles east of Guadalupe and moving west at 17 mph. Top sustained winds were 45 mph.

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