Hurricane Isaac strengthens in Atlantic

updated 4:04 p.m. ET Oct. 1, 2006

MIAMI - A tropical storm watch was issued for southeastern Newfoundland on Sunday as Hurricane Isaac moved north in the Atlantic, forecasters said.

At 2 p.m. ET, Isaac had top sustained winds near 80 mph, up from 75 mph on Saturday, when it became the fifth hurricane of the Atlantic season, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

The ninth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season was centered about 310 miles northeast of Bermuda and 885 miles south-southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland, forecasters said.

Isaac was moving north near 17 mph, and a turn to the north-northeast was expected in the next day. The storm also was forecast to speed up and begin weakening in the next 24 hours.

Meteorologist Daniel Brown said southeastern Newfoundland could begin experiencing tropical storm conditions with winds gusting near hurricane strength beginning Monday afternoon.

“They will get some wind and rain,” Brown said.

Wind in Avalon Peninsula expected
The Canadian Meteorological Service issued a tropical storm watch for Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula, including the cities of Cape Race and St. Johns. Tropical storms have winds of at least 39 mph.

Brown said Isaac was not as big or strong as Florence, whose remnants brought 100 mph wind gusts and bands of rain to southern Newfoundland on Sept. 14.

Hurricane-force winds extend 25 miles from Isaac’s center, while tropical storm-force winds extend up to 150 miles from it.

The Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30.

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