Tropical storm threatens GOP convention

Tropical Storm Isaac is forecast to become a hurricane and may affect the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., meteorologists said. In its 11 a.m. EDT Wednesday advisory, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm, with sustained winds of 40 mph, was 200 miles south-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and 360 miles east-southeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, approaching the Leeward Islands as it traveled west at 15 mph. The government of France had discontinued a tropical storm warning for Martinique, Guadeloupe and the surrounding islands of St. Martin. A hurricane watch for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands had also been discontinued and the government of Antigua and Barbuda has dropped a hurricane watch for the British Virgin Islands. A hurricane warnings were posted for Haiti and the south coast of Dominican Republic from Isla Saona westward to the Haiti-Dominican Republic southern board. The government of the Dominican Republican has changed the tropical storm watch to a tropical storm warning for the north coast of the Dominican Republic from the Haiti-Dominican Republic border eastward to north of Isla Saona. Tropical storm watches also were in effect for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra. The government of the Bahamas posted a tropical storm watch for the southeastern Bahamas. Isaac was expected to take a gradual turn toward the west-northwest during the next couple of days, after moving away from the Leeward Islands Wednesday night, and then pass to the south of the Virgin Island and Puerto Rico Thursday, before approaching the Dominican Republic Thursday night and Friday. Isaac could become a hurricane Thursday night or Friday. Tropical storm-force winds extended outward from Isaac's center 140 miles. Isaac could generate 4- to 8 inches of rain over the northern Windward Islands and Leeward Island, the center said. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands could get 1-3 inches of rain with up to 6 inches possible.