Forecasters continue to watch Tropical Storm Elsa as it gains strength and moves rapidly into the Caribbean.At 5 a.m. on Thursday, the center of Tropical Storm Elsa was located 70 miles east-southeast of Barbados. Elsa is moving toward the west-northwest near 28 mph and that motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days, according to forecasters.Elsa is expected to 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, according to the National Hurricane Center.By Sunday, Elsa is forecast to move near Jamaica and portions of eastern Cuba.Forecasters said Friday morning that the maximum sustained winds increased to near 60 mph with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is forecast over the next 12 to 24 hours.Over Puerto Rico, rainfall of 1 to 3 inches with localized amounts of 5 inches is expected Friday into Saturday. This rain may lead to isolated flash flooding and minor river flooding, along with the potential for mudslides, according to the NHC. >> WESH 2 News 2021 Hurricane Survival GuideForecasters say Florida should monitor the system, but it is too soon to determine what, if any, impacts could occur.>> Surviving the Season: Hurricane Season 2021 Additional strengthening is forecast for the next few days.Tropical Storm Warnings:BarbadosMartiniqueSt. LuciaSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesThe southern coast of Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the border with HaitiEntire coast of HaitiHurricane Watches: Southern portion of Haiti from Port Au Prince to the southern border with the Dominican RepublicTropical Storm Watches:Grenada and its dependenciesSaba and Sint 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
Forecasters continue to watch Tropical Storm Elsa as it gains strength and moves rapidly into the Caribbean.
At 5 a.m. on Thursday, the center of Tropical Storm Elsa was located 70 miles east-southeast of Barbados. Elsa is moving toward the west-northwest near 28 mph and that motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days, according to forecasters.
Elsa is expected to 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, according to the National Hurricane Center.
By Sunday, Elsa is forecast to move near Jamaica and portions of eastern Cuba.
Forecasters said Friday morning that the maximum sustained winds increased to near 60 mph with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is forecast over the next 12 to 24 hours.
Over Puerto Rico, rainfall of 1 to 3 inches with localized amounts of 5 inches is expected Friday into Saturday. This rain may lead to isolated flash flooding and minor river flooding, along with the potential for mudslides, according to the NHC.
>> WESH 2 News 2021 Hurricane Survival Guide
Forecasters say Florida should monitor the system, but it is too soon to determine what, if any, impacts could occur.
>> Surviving the Season: Hurricane Season 2021
Additional strengthening is forecast for the next few days.
Tropical Storm Warnings:
- Barbados
- Martinique
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- The southern coast of Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the border with Haiti
- Entire coast of Haiti
Hurricane Watches:
- Southern portion of Haiti from Port Au Prince to the southern border with the Dominican Republic
Tropical Storm Watches:
- Grenada and its dependencies
- Saba and Sint Eustatius
- Jamaica