Early Friday morning, Elsa was about 5 miles east of Atlantic City, New Jersey, according to the National Hurricane Center, and racing to the northeast.
Elsa is bringing heavy rain, gusty winds and a tornado threat to the region. It will be near Boston in the afternoon and move into the Atlantic off Canada late Friday evening, CNN meteorologist Monica Garrett said.
As Elsa moves near Long Island and southern and coastal New England, heavy rainfall could lead to considerable flash and urban flooding. Flash flood watches are posted for more than 40 million people from New Jersey to Maine.
Winds could gust up to 65 mph, and rotating storms moving inland from the outer bands could cause some brief tornadoes from Long Island to New England.
A tropical storm warning is still in effect from southern New Jersey to near Boston.
Elsa already has caused tornadoes, multiple injuries and at least one death in Florida and Georgia this week.
“The concrete above ground does not absorb the water. The water comes through the vents down the stairs in those waterfalls, and then if the drains at the street level can’t handle the water, it goes over the curb and makes things even worse,” Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chair Sarah Feinberg said, according to WCBS.
No stations were flooded Friday morning, MTA spokesperson Renee Price said. Crews were out working all night, and normal operations have resumed, Price said.
The MTA was pre-positioning crews and equipment in Long Island, where the storm was forecast to be most pronounced.
Even when Elsa’s center passes an area, residents there can still expect to see heavy bands of rainfall on the outskirts.
Tornadoes reported across the South
Tornadoes were reported across northern Florida and southeastern Georgia on Wednesday, including an EF-2 tornado that caused multiple injuries and damage at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Kings Bay, Georgia.
Elsa’s first US target was Florida — and it caused damage and one death near the Georgia-Florida border.
In Jacksonville, winds from Elsa caused a tree to fall on two cars during an afternoon commute, killing one person, Jacksonville fire rescue Capt. Eric Prosswimmer said. A possible tornado touched down Wednesday evening, according to Mayor Lenny Curry.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the flash flood alert for portions of the Northeast. It is a flash flood watch.
CNN’s Ganesh Setty, Jason Hanna, Gregory Lemos, Laura James, Rebekah Riess, Hannah Sarisohn, Devon Sayers, Amir Vera, Taylor Ward and Amanda Watts contributed to this report.