Gulf Coast, Tropical Storm | featured news

As the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall approaches, New Orleans -- and much of the Gulf Coast -- is preparing to put into practice the lessons learned from that defining storm. Tropical Storm Isaac is following a path eerily similar to Katrina's in 2005.

Tropical Storm Isaac is likely to be a hurricane when it hits the Florida Keys Sunday, strengthening to a Category 2 as it heads northwards towards the Gulf Coast later.

Tropical Storm Lee has strengthened as it begins dumping rain in southern Louisiana and pelting the northern Gulf coast. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say that Lee’s maximum sustained winds had increased to 60 miles per hour (95 kph) Saturday morning. The storm’s center is located about 45 miles southwest of New Iberia and was moving north-northwest at 7 mph (11 kph).