Newfoundland braces for Tropical Storm Isaac

Monday, October 2nd 2006, 8:34 am

By: News On 6

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland (AP) _ Southeastern Newfoundland braced Monday for Tropical Storm Isaac, packing nearly 60 mph winds, with forecasters warning of heavy rain and a coastal storm surge.

Isaac's center was located about 120 miles south of Cape Race, Newfoundland, at 2 p.m. EDT and moving to the north-northeast at 40 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. It was projected to hit southeastern Newfoundland later in the day.

At 2 p.m. EDT, Isaac had top sustained winds near 60 mph with higher gusts.

Isaac had weakened to a tropical storm from a hurricane earlier Monday as it raced across the north Atlantic.

A tropical storm warning was issued for the Avalon Peninsula in southeastern Newfoundland.

Warnings mean that tropical storm conditions, with sustained wind of at least 39 mph, are expected.

Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches is possible over southeastern Newfoundland on Monday, and coastal storm surge flooding of 2 to 3 feet above normal tide levels are expected near and to the east of where the storm makes landfall, the center reported.

Isaac's wind and rain were likely to be comparable to a typical winter storm, said Chris Landsea, a meteorologist at the hurricane center. Forecasters said the storm was expected to continue weakening and begin losing its tropical characteristics.

Newfoundland was hit by 100 mph wind gusts from the remnants of Hurricane Florence on Sept. 14.

Isaac was the fifth hurricane and ninth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and ends Nov. 30.