Tropical Storm Isaac gained more strength as it spun in the direction of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. However, it is not likely to gain enough speed early on Friday to hit the town of Hispaniola as a hurricane.

Forecasters had initially thought that the storm would turn into a hurricane in the Caribbean, but it is not likely until it reaches the Gulf of Mexico on Monday.

Forecaster for the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami Eric Blake had stated the following:

"We think it could become a hurricane on Monday. It would be somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico," he said.

In the early morning, the NHC had reported that Isaac did get stronger, as it reached winds of 50 m.p.h. The center of Isaac is said to be headed close to or over Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The most up-to-date five-day forecast showed the path of the storm moving toward the west, potentially hitting landfall near the Alabama-Mississippi border.

Blake had stated that it was "too early to know" the exact course and said that Florida's Gulf Coast, which includes Tampa, the site of next week's Republican National Convention, was still in the danger zone.

The storm brought heavy rains across eastern and southern Puerto Rico on Thursday. Waves were also recorded as high as 10 feet in the Caribbean.

According to the NHC, Isaac was centered roughly 165 miles south of Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic and the winds were clocking in at 45 m.p.h. It was going west at near 15 m.ph.

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