MIAMI-
Hurricane Isaac raced over the north Atlantic on Monday toward Newfoundland, where the Canadian Meteorological Service upgraded a tropical storm watch to a tropical storm warning.
The warning said 45 mph wind and higher gusts could be expected Monday afternoon and evening on the Avalon Peninsula. A tropical storm watch was issued for the Burin Peninsula and Bonavista Peninsula. Warnings mean tropical storm conditions, with sustained wind of at least 39 mph, are expected; watches mean they are possible.
At 8 a.m. EDT, Isaac had top sustained winds near 75 mph, just over the 74 mph threshold for a hurricane. It was expected to weaken slightly before reaching the Canada coast.
Issac, the fifth hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, was centered about 370 miles south-southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland, and was moving north-northeast at about 35 mph. Isaac’s center was expected to pass over or near southeastern Newfoundland later Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Newfoundland was hit with 100 mph wind gusts from the remnants of Hurricane Florence on Sept. 14.
Isaac’s wind and rain will be comparable to a typical winter storm, said Chris Landsea, a meteorologist at the hurricane center in Miami. It’s too soon to tell how much of an impact the storm will have, senior hurricane specialist Richard Pasch said.
The Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30.
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