U.S. President Barack Obama has urged residents to follow orders by authorities regarding tropical storm Isaac.

In a special speech delivered at the White House on Tuesday, Obama said that he urges all residents of the Gulf Coast to listen to their local officials and follow their directions, including orders to evacuate.

Obama said that the U.S. is “dealing with a big storm and there could be significant flooding and other damage across a large area.” He added that as president, he will “continue to make sure that the federal government is doing everything possible to help the American people prepare for and recover from this dangerous storm.”

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said tropical storm Isaac is likely to become a hurricane, warning that the storm is expected to bring about significant flooding and high winds to the northern areas of the Gulf of Mexico.