Tropical Storm Warning In Rhode Island As Elsa Takes Aim At SNE

NEWPORT, RI — Batten down the hatches. After an unsettled weather week following the Fourth of July holiday, a tropical storm is taking aim at southern New England to close out the week.

The National Weather Service declared a tropical storm warning statewide until further notice. Although Elsa — now a tropical storm instead of a fully-fledged hurricane — isn't expected to hang around long, it could cause some serious damage in the short time it's expected to be in the region.

For the third day in a row, scattered, severe storms are in the forecast for Rhode Island on Thursday, bringing the chance for periods of heavy rain and damaging wind gusts up to 65 mph., along with the possibility of an isolated tornado.

The storm is expected to move up the East Coast Thursday night, arriving in southern New England as soon as Friday morning. A flash flood watch is in effect throughout the day Friday, with heavy rain and thunderstorms expected.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management warned of dangerous rip currents along the shore starting Thursday and continuing throughout the weekend. Before swimming, especially at south-facing, ocean exposed beaches, check water conditions to make sure it's safe to swim.

"If you plan on venturing out to the shoreline, be sure to remain in areas far away from splashing waves," the DEM said. "Boaters should be aware that very strong winds will cause hazardous seas which could capsize or damage vessels and reduce visibility."

Elsa was briefly a hurricane Tuesday night but weakened back to a tropical storm Wednesday morning. The Associated Press reported the storm killed at least one person in Florida and injured 10 others at a Georgia Navy base when a possible tornado was formed.

Rhode Islanders are encouraged to plan ahead to stay safe when storms hit. The city of Newport encouraged taking the following steps.

• Locate and update your emergency supply kit. If you don't have an emergency kit, you can assemble one by collecting the items found here: https://www.ready.gov/kit
• Bring in any outdoor items that could pose a hazard in the event of high winds
• Charge your electronic devices in advance and keep informed with updates from official sources
• Check in with your neighbors - especially the elderly and homebound
• If you need to leave your home, please be sure to turn off all utilities, select a common meeting place or single point-of-contact for all family members, and if you have pets, have a plan for their evacuation as well.