Tropical Storm Elsa Threatens to Pound Florida’s West Coast This Week

The National Hurricane Center issued tropical storm and storm surge warnings for the west coast of Florida as Tropical Storm Elsa began moving northward from Cuba.

As of 11 am Tuesday, July 6, the tropical storm warning was in effect for Florida Keys from Craig Key westward to the Dry Tortugas and the west coast of Florida from Flamingo northward to Ochlockonee River. The storm surge warning for the Florida west coast was extended from Bonita Beach northward to the Aucilla River including Tampa Bay.

The NHC said there is a danger of life-threatening storm surge along portions of the west coast of Florida Tuesday night and Wednesday.

A storm surge watch is in effect for west of the Aucilla River to the Ochlockonee River and a tropical storm watch is in effect for west of the Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass, Florida.

The government of Cuba discontinued the tropical storm warning for the Cuban provinces of Ciego de Avila and Sancti Spiritus.

Elsa had become strong enough Friday as it hit the eastern Caribbean to be declared the 2021 Atlantic season’s first hurricane, before weakening on Sunday..

Cuba evacuated 180,000 people amid fears Sunday that Elsa would cause heavy flooding after the hurricane battered several Caribbean islands, killing at least three people, according to The Associated Press.

Elsa is expected to pass near the Florida Keys early Tuesday. Elsa is then forecast to move near or over portions of the west coast of Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. A storm surge warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the coastline during the next 36 hours.

The NHC said officials in coastal Georgia and the Carolinas should monitor the progress of Elsa.

With Elsa heading for Florida, recovery efforts in Surfside where the deadly condo collapse occurred were accelerated. The remaining portion of the Champlain Towers South condo building was demolished late Sunday evening so recovery efforts could resume Monday. More than 100 people are still unaccounted for.

Elsa is expected to turn toward the north-northwest on Tuesday. A north-northeastward motion is expected to begin on Wednesday.

Tropical storm conditions are expected along the Florida west coast beginning Tuesday. Tropical storm conditions are expected to spread northward into the Florida Big Bend region Tuesday night and early Wednesday. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the watch area beginning late Tuesday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts; slow strengthening is forecast through Tuesday night.

A few tornadoes are possible across south Florida tonight and across the Florida Peninsula on Tuesday.

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. Elsa is expected to produce the following rainfall amounts and impacts this week:

• Across the 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 into southeast Georgia and the Low Country of South Carolina: 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 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.

Source: NHC

Topics Florida Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm