Isaac won't be a hurricane over Keys

MIAMI (AP) - Forecasters say it's unlikely that Tropical Storm Isaac will strengthen into a hurricane before it hits the Florida Keys.

However, it is still expected to gain strength as it moves over the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It could make landfall somewhere along the northern Gulf Coast. It's not clear exactly where it will hit, but forecasters say hurricane conditions are possible anywhere from the New Orleans area to the Florida Panhandle.

Isaac already started pelting the Florida Keys with rain and strong winds on Sunday.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Isaac was about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south-southeast of Key West, Fla. Its top sustained winds had decreased to 60 mph (97 kph).