Tampa, Florida (CNN) - Thousands in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were being told early Monday to leave their Gulf Coast homes ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Isaac as forecasters warned it was gaining strength as it followed the same path Hurricane Katrina took seven years earlier.
The governors of the three states each declared a state of emergency, with Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley ordering mandatory evacuations to begin at 8 a.m. for residents who live along the coast and for those in some low-lying areas inland.
Oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico are already being suspended at some facilities because of the approaching storm. How will oil production and gas prices be affected by the impending storm?
This morning on "Early Start," Christine Romans looks at how tropical storm Isaac could hamper oil production and cause gas prices to spike.