President Obama warned Gulf residents that they may have to evacuate their homes as Hurricane Isaac moves towards Louisiana, and he urged them to heed the instructions if they come.

“As we prepare for Isaac to hit, I want to encourage all residents of the Gulf Coast to listen to your local officials and follow their directions, including if they tell you to evacuate,” Obama said this morning.  “Now is not the time to tempt fate.  Now is not the time to dismiss official warnings.  You need to take this seriously.”

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said he would not order a mandatory evacuation unless the storm reached Category Three hurricane force, according to the L.A. Times. Isaac is expected to make landfall as a Category One or perhaps Category Two hurricane.

“We are not expecting a Katrina-like event with breaking the levees,” Landrieu said.