ULM has canceled all classes after 4 p.m. today and all classes Thursday because of impending weather brought by Hurricane Isaac.

Wednesday classes starting before 4 p.m. have not been canceled. All classes will resume Tuesday following the Labor Day holiday.

Administrative offices will close at 5:30 p.m. today and reopen at 7:30 a.m. on Friday.

Hurricane Isaac made landfall late Tuesday near Houma. The National Hurricane Center estimated the storm was moving across the state at only 6 mph, dumping heavy rains across southeast Louisiana.

The first rain bands from Isaac are expected to reach the Monroe area by early afternoon today.

Ouachita Parish fell under a tropical storm warning at 7 a.m. today and will remain under that warning until 1 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service in Shreveport. Neighboring Jackson and Caldwell Parishes are also under tropical storm warnings.

A tropical storm warning means conditions are favorable for tropical storm weather conditions. The NWS is predicting four to eight inches of rain in the Monroe area. Winds are expected to reach between 30 and 40 mph with gusts as high as 55 mph.

Tomorrow, winds are predicted to be 30 to 40 mph with gusts as high as 45 mph.

The Fant-Ewing Coliseum has been transformed into a special needs shelter. It’s being operated by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Louisiana Social Services.

The University is still preparing shelter information for students who wish to ride out the storm in a shelter. More information about shelters should be available within the next couple of hours.

Continue to check the Hawkeye for more developments on Hurricane Isaac.