The Tropical Atlantic is heating up as the Labor Day holiday approaches.

Forecasters are monitoring Tropical Depression Nine, which is forecast to become Tropical Storm Isaac today or tomorrow.  The storm could impact the United States next week, and depending on its path could impact the Republican National Convention in Tampa.

At 2 p.m. Tuesday the depression was located at 15.3 N, 53.2 W or about 550 miles east of Guadeloupe.  The system has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, just shy of tropical storm status, and is moving west at 18 mph.  Minimum central pressure is 1008 mb, or 29.77 inches.  Tropical storm watches and warnings are now in effect for numerous islands in the Caribbean.

Click here for the National Hurricane Center’s most recent update on this system.