NWS: Isaac to cause warmer, drier weather in Texas

Despite Tropical Storm Isaac's anticipated landfall on the Gulf Coast Wednesday, there's no rain in sight for Central Texas, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm is expected to hit somewhere between New Orleans and the Florida Panhandle as a Category 2 hurricane, but for areas to its west, Isaac will have a warming affect, said NWS Forecaster Pat McDonald. Category 2 storms have sustained winds between 96 and 110 mph.

“Unfortunately for Texas, it will probably become drier, sunnier and probably a little breezy,” McDonald said, “because we're on the west.”

Typically, he said, the west side of a hurricane is drier and warmer, while the east side is wetter and stronger.

San Antonio is expected to heat up a few degrees, become less humid and have winds from 15 to 20 mph starting on Wednesday as Isaac moves inland. On Sunday night, the storm passed over the Florida Keys and caused only minor damage, according to the Associated Press.

Isaac should become stronger over the next couple of days, fed by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and is predicted to make landfall on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which killed 1,800 people.

States of emergency were declared in Luisiana and Mississippi, the AP reported, and people in low-lying areas in both states were advised to leave in anticipation of powerful storm surges.

In San Antonio, temperatures were expected to be in the high 90s Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with isolated thunderstorms possible on Tuesday. Thursday, Friday and Saturday will likely reach 100 degrees or higher, officials said.

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