Elsewhere, a Caribbean disturbance is slowly lifting northward into the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center is still giving the system a 40% chance of development, but any organization will be very slow and may not happen until early next week. Regardless of development, the threat of rain will increase next week in Central Florida.

The latest tropical disturbance has spawned in a similar part of the western Caribbean Sea as Hurricane Helene. The system is large but disorganized at the moment, producing some shower and thunderstorm activity over the western and southwestern Caribbean Sea.

Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours and Isaac could be become a hurricane by Friday over the open subtropical Atlantic. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center.