Tropical Storm Elsa expected to strengthen before hitting Florida

Here is the latest update for Tropical Storm Elsa from the National Hurricane Center as of 7am EST. As of right now Elsa is just West of Key West and is expected to strengthen before hitting Florida.

Read on for more information from NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center.

Related – Many Disney World Resort Hotels offering Hurricane Meal Kits

*** A Storm Surge Warning continues in effect for the west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach to the Aucilla River, including Tampa Bay.
*** A Tropical Storm Warning continues in effect for the Cuban provinces of Matanzas, Mayabeque, Havana, and Artemisa; the Florida Keys from Craig Key westward to the Dry Tortugas; and for the west coast of Florida from Flamingo northward to Ochlockonee River. Tropical storm conditions should continue over portions of central and western Cuba during the next several hours. Tropical storm conditions are beginning in the warning area of the Florida Keys and are expected along the Florida west coast later today. Tropical storm conditions are expected to spread northward into west-central Florida and the Florida Big Bend region tonight and early Wednesday, where hurricane conditions are possible.
*** A Hurricane Watch continues in effect along portions of the west coast of Florida from Egmont Key to the Steinhatchee River.
*** A Storm Surge Watch continues in effect from west of the Aucilla River to the Ochlockonee River, Florida.
*** A Tropical Storm Watch continues in effect from west of the Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass, Florida, and from the mouth of St. Marys River to South Santee River, South Carolina. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the watch area in Florida beginning late tonight and in Georgia and South Carolina Wednesday night and early Thursday.
Interests elsewhere in the Carolinas and the mid-Atlantic coast should monitor the progress of Elsa.

For storm information specific to your area in the United States, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office – www.weather.gov.

For storm information specific to your area outside of the United States, please monitor products issued by your national meteorological service.

At 8 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Elsa was located about 55 miles (90 km) west of Key West and about 240 miles (385 km) south of Tampa, Florida. It’s moving toward the north-northwest near 12 mph (19 km/h) and this general motion is expected to continue today, followed by a turn toward the north by tonight. A north-northeastward motion is expected on Wednesday. On the forecast track, Elsa will continue to pass near the Florida Keys this morning, and move near or over portions of the west coast of Florida later today through tonight. On Wednesday morning, Elsa is forecast to make landfall along the north Florida Gulf coast and then move northeastward across the southeastern United States through Thursday.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from the center. A C-MAN station at Sand Key, Florida, recently measured a wind gust of 52 mph (83 km/h). The Key West International Airport also recently measured a wind gust of 48 mph (77 km/h). Slow strengthening is forecast through tonight, and Elsa could be near hurricane strength before it makes landfall in Florida. Weakening is expected after Elsa moves inland.

A storm surge will raise water levels above normal tide levels by as much as the following amounts in areas of onshore flow within the hurricane watch and warning areas: Southern coast of Cuba…2 to 4 feet.

The combination of a storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide:

• Englewood, FL to Aucilla River including Tampa Bay…3 to 5 ft
• Bonita Beach, FL to Englewood, FL including Charlotte Harbor…2 to 4 ft
• Aucilla River to Ochlockonee River…2 to 4 ft
• Flamingo, FL to Bonita Beach, FL…1 to 3 ft
• Craig Key, FL to Dry Tortugas…1 to 2 ft
• Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass…1 to 2 ft
  Elsa is expected to produce the following rainfall amounts and impacts this week:
• Across portions of Cuba through tonight, rainfall of 5 to 10 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches is expected. This will result in significant flash flooding and mudslides.
• Across the Florida Keys into southwest and western portions of the Florida Peninsula…3 to 5 inches with localized maximum totals up to 8 inches through Wednesday, which may result in considerable flash and urban flooding, along with minor to isolated moderate
  river flooding.
• Across the rest of Florida…2 to 4 inches with localized maximum totals up to 6 inches through Wednesday night, which may result in isolated flash, urban, and minor river flooding.
• Across portions of southeast Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina, 3 to 5 inches with isolated maximum totals up to 8 inches will be possible, which may result in considerable flash and urban flooding.
• Across coastal portions of North Carolina into southeastern Virginia…1 to 3 inches with isolated totals up to 5 inches Wednesday night through Thursday night, which could lead to isolated flash and urban flooding.
  A few tornadoes are possible today through tonight across the Florida Peninsula. The tornado threat will continue on Wednesday across north Florida, southeast Georgia, and the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The tornado threat should shift to the eastern Carolinas and far southeast Virginia on Thursday.

The next complete advisory will be issued by NHC at 11 a.m. EDT – www.hurricanes.gov

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