Hurricane Watch: Disturbance Becomes Tropical Storm Elsa

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center announced that the low pressure system in the Atlantic is now Tropical Storm Elsa. The Virgin Islands should expect heavy rain and winds on Friday.

The NHC has released an advisory predicting heavy rainfall all along the storm's path. The Virgin Islands are at risk for heavy rain and wind. Additional forecasting read, "the potential tropical cyclone will produce rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches with maximum totals of 8 inches on Friday across the Windward and southern Leeward Islands, including Barbados. This rain may produce isolated flash flooding and mudslides."

As of 8 a.m. on July 1, the center of the storm was about 789 miles east-southeast of the Windward Islands. According to the National Hurricane Center, "on the forecast track, Elsa will pass near or over portions of the Windward Islands or the southern Leeward Islands on Friday, move into the eastern Caribbean Sea late Friday and Friday night, and move near the southern coast of Hispaniola on Saturday."

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days.

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