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Sarasota News Leader December 14, 2012 Page 45 tral pressure was down to 29.27, but it was not expected to reach hurricane force until after it passed south of Puerto Rico and Hispanola, then went across Cuba and on into the Florida Straits. central pressure did not translate into higher winds; this meant a broader coverage of ���slower��� winds. Although the storm was close, all watches and warnings were discontinued for the Florida Peninsula. While the winds did not reach hurricane force, the ���wind field��� expanded and grew. On Aug. 25, hurricane warnings were posted from Bonita Beach south to Key West and east to Key Largo. We were in a tropical storm watch situation. On Aug. 28 in the early evening, Isaac closed its eye to achieve the classic hurricane swirl just as it came ashore at the Mississippi delta of Louisiana; it was a slow mover. Up to 20 inches of rain were predicted, along with a 12-foot storm surge. Isaac did not cooperate, pushing ever further west and refusing to strengthen beyond tropical storm force. Its landfall was predicted near the Mississippi/Louisiana border as a Category 1 storm. Only the day before, the target had been St. Marks in the Florida Panhandle. The storm would eventually break a drought as it tracked through Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois and on into the Ohio River Valley. It eventually flooded Washington, D.C., with 1.64 inches of rain ��� ���the wettest day of the year,��� said the Washington Post. On Aug. 27, Isaac was about 200 miles directly In a foreshadowing of Sandy, sections of the west of Sarasota with a central pressure of D.C. Metro were shut down because of flood29.18 inches. And like Beryl earlier, the low ing in the tunnels. Sarasota received very little wind or rain from Isaac, and in this water vapor image, you can see why. Isaac���s rain band contained a powerful cell to the east that ended up drenching southeastern Florida. For us, the conditions were just cloudy and breezy. Image courtesy National Hurricane Center Isaac���s ���wind swath��� is epic but not strong. All of Cuba and Hispaniola, half of Puerto Rico and half of the Florida peninsula fell under its skirts. Image courtesy National Hurricane Center