After making landfall in southeastern Louisiana, Hurricane Isaac has moved back out to see and expected to make another landfall around 2 a.m. near Grand Isle, LA., according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of 11 p.m. ET, the storm was currently about 75 miles southeast of New Orleans, moving northwest at just 8 mph.
Forecasters say Isaac's core is expected to pass west of New Orleans on Wednesday. Isaac came ashore at 7:45 p.m. ET Tuesday, dumping heavy rain with winds of 80 mph that spread over 60 miles.
The greatest concern is an expected storm surge of between six and 12 feet off the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts, four to eight feet along the Alabama coast and three to six feet on the Florida Panhandle, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane center said a storm surge of 8.8 feet had been measured at Shell Beach, La. on Tuesday.
Winds could gust up to 100 mph at times snapping trees and brining down power lines. The hurricane is expected to gradually weaken, but only after dumping 7 to 14 inches of rain across Louisiana, with some places receiving up to 20 inches.
New Orleans Braces for Isaac 7 Years After Katrina
Watch Video ABC News has confirmed nearly 165,000 homes and businesses throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are without power as the massive 200-mile storm moves through the Gulf Coast.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landreau told residents Tuesday night, "We are officially in the fight and the city of New Orleans is on the front line."
Ed Rappaport, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center, said Tuesday night, "On this course, the hurricane will gradually weaken."
While traffic was nearly invisible Tuesday night, several French Quarter bars remained open and filled with locals in New Orelans. At Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop -- the 150 year old dive at the end of Bourbon Street -- Chris LaRue recommended the four staples of hurricane preparedness, "Water, canned food, candles and booze."
"We're going to have some water to clean up," said LaRue. "But this kind of wind is nothing."
In Gulfport, Miss., Highway 90 was closed from Bay St. Louis Bridge to Biloxi Bay Bridge. There's a mandatory curfew in effect, especially at the beaches.
In advance of the storm, Louisiana set up shelters and stockpiled more than a million packaged meals, 1.4 million bottles of water and 17,000 tarps.
Since the levees failed in Katrina seven years ago, more than $14 billion has been spent on the 133 miles of floodwalls, spillways, gates and pumps surrounding New Orleans.
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