MIAMI >>  Forecasters say Tropical Storm Isaac has formed in the Atlantic with a track that could possibly take it toward Florida where the Republican National Convention will be held next week.

Storm warnings have been issued Tuesday across a swath of islands in the Caribbean including Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Martin.

It is too soon to say what exact path the storm will take. But some computer models show it headed toward Cuba and then Florida. Others have it making a sharp northern turn in the next couple days near Puerto Rico and then into the open Atlantic.

The National Hurricane Center says Isaac has maximum sustained winds near 40 mph but is expected to strengthen.

The storm is about 500 miles east of Guadeloupe and is moving west near 17 mph.

Forecasters caution that long-range storm track predictions can be off by hundreds of miles. A hurricane hunter plane was scheduled to investigate the system today.

Thousands of Republicans will gather in Tampa next week to nominate Mitt Romney for president and Paul Ryan for vice president. GOP and Tampa officials say they have contingency plans in case a storm blows through.