Track Of Tropical Storm Elsa Could Impact Florida's West Coast

TAMPA BAY, FL — Tampa Bay emergency management officials are monitoring Tropical Storm Elsa after the National Hurricane Center placed Tampa Bay in the five-day storm forecast.

At 2 p.m. Thursday, the hurricane center showed the tropical storm tracking toward portions of the southern Florida peninsula by early next week.

The hurricane center upgraded Elsa from a tropical depression to a named tropical storm at 4:54 a.m. Thursday. Elsa is the fifth named storm of the hurricane season, which officially began June 1.

Elsa is moving northwestward with maximum sustained winds near 45 mph with higher gusts. The storm is expected to speed up over the next 24 to 36 hours.

Elsa is expected to pass over portions of the Windward and southern Leeward islands including Barbados on Friday, bringing up to 10 inches of rain. The storm will move into the eastern Caribbean Sea late Friday and near the southern coast of Hispaniola on Saturday, bringing up to 5 inches of rain. Isolated flashing flooding and mudslides are possible.

By early Sunday, Elsa is forecast to move near portions of eastern Cuba.

There is a risk of high winds and heavy rains in portions of Hispaniola, Cuba, the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas through early next week.

Although Elsa's path is still uncertain due to the tropical storm's potential interaction with the Greater Antilles this weekend, the hurricane center said the Florida Keys and portions of the Florida peninsula, including Tampa Bay, could experience high winds, heavy rains and storm surge as early as Monday.

County emergency management officials are advising residents to review their hurricane preparedness plans and check to make sure they have all essential items in their hurricane preparation kits.

Some additional strengthening is expected during the next day or so as Elsa passes into the warmer waters of the Caribbean. Nevertheless, the hurricane center said the intensity forecast of Elsa remains low at this time.

Currently, a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Barbados, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Grenada and surrounding islands.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are
possible within 36 hours.

Stay tuned to Patch for updates on Tropical Storm Elsa.

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