The Eastern side is the bad side, usually, because the storm rotates counterclockwise and that portion of the storm that is on the east and northeast of center has been over open water when the storm approaches the eastern coast of a continent. In this case, Isaac will be coursing up the west coast of Florida, about 100 miles offshore, and any portion of the storm that comes to Central Florida will have been over land for about 200 miles; so the general rule may not apply with its usual strictness.
In open ocean in the northern hemisphere, this is also the case, because the airmasses on the eastern side are coming north and have been over waters to the south, which typically are warmer; while the airmasses on the western side are coming south and have been over cooler waters to the north.
Still, it looks to me as if Central Florida isn't going to see much from Isaac. If I were in Pensacola or Mobile, though, I'd head out now.
None of that reduces the wisdom of your advice to be ready to head north; and I am, and will be, ready to do just that.
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-- Carl
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