Meteorologist: Plenty of time to track Tropical Storm Isaac

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ABC-7 Meteorologists John Patrick

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Any impact to Southwest Florida from Tropical Storm Isaac would likely be early next week, so there is plenty of time to track the storm to see how it behaves.

The ninth tropical depression of the year, Isaac was upgraded to a tropical storm around 5 p.m. Tuesday. It could become a hurricane by Thursday afternoon.

On Tuesday, Isaac was about 500 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, which is about 1,850 miles from Southwest Florida. Maximum winds were at 40 mph at the time of the 5 p.m. upgrade and the storm was moving to the west at 17 mph.

There's a little wind shear over the storm, so it will be slow in developing over the next 12 to 24 hours. After that the wind shear is forecast to weaken, which will allow Isaac to strengthen as it moves into the Caribbean Sea.

Isaac is forecast to lose forward momentum and slow down a bit as it curves northwest and moves, most likely, over Cuba by Sunday.

There are questions about what happens with Isaac after it crosses Cuba. How much does it weaken? Where does it go exactly? It is still too early to say. Sunday may turn out to be a dry, windy day ahead of the approaching storm.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect for Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe, St. Martin, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Montserrat, Anguilla, Barbuda, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

This is a great time to visit www.hurricane2012.com and get tips on how to prepare yourself and property, in case Isaac heads to Southwest Florida.

Connect with John Patrick on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jpweather or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jpweather. Get my live updates on Tropical Storm Isaac on ABC7 News, weeknights at 5, 6, 7 and 11 p.m. on WZVN-TV.