[ryan71]

If Isaac follows the current track the land mass is going to break it up. Strong winds won’t be a problem but lots of rain might cause flooding.

[muawiyah]

It'll slow down, spread out and suck up moisture laiden air from both the Atlantic and the Gulf. It'll devastate Tampa and then move on up the coast.

We've had these storms from time to time ~ Richmond and DC are at greater risk than Tampa though because the cold front that'd steer it away has already passed!

We are doomed!

[PogySailor]

We are already flooding. 5-6 inches of rain in the last 2 days. And more coming in off the GOM today. Tampa has a history of street flooding in some areas near the convention (particularly Bayshore Drive).

[Lera]

It isn’t the winds that make a hurricane so dangerous for Tampa. It’s the shape and shallow slope of the bay and all the low lying areas .
A hurricane coming up the west coat of Florida with the eye just off shore would pour massive amounts of water right into the bay (strongest winds are always on the northwest side of the storm ).

Worst case scenario for the Tampa Bay area is a northbound storm whose eye stays just offshore .A storm on that kind of path would cause massive amounts of flooding.

It’s still way to early to tell just what path this thing is likely to take .

Mayor of Tampa is a lib that would like nothing better than to cancel the convention tho ... the guy has even set up all kinds of goodies for the occupy protesters he expects to show up .