Isaac steers clear of direct blow on New Orleans

A parking attendant both is overturned on Poydras St. downtown after Hurricane Isaac made landfall in New Orleans, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012. Isaac was packing 80 mph winds, making it a Category 1 hurricane. It came ashore early Tuesday near the mouth of the Mississippi River, driving a wall of water nearly 11 feet high inland and soaking a neck of land that stretches into the Gulf. The storm stalled for several hours before resuming a slow trek inland, and forecasters said that was in keeping with the its erratic history. The slow motion over land means Isaac could be a major soaker, dumping up to 20 inches of rain in some areas. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)