July 6 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Elsa was traveling over the Florida Straits early Tuesday with forecasts predicting it will slowly strengthen potentially to hurricane status before making landfall on the U.S. mainland.
In its 5 a.m. Tuesday update, the National Hurricane Center said Elsa was 50 miles southwest of Key West, Fla., and 270 miles south of Tampa.
Elsa was carrying maximum sustained winds of 60 mph while moving north-northwest at 12 mph.
“On the forecast track, Elsa will pass near the Florida Keys this morning, and move near or over portions of the west coast of Florida later today and continuing into Wednesday,” the NHC said. “Slow strengthening is forecast through tonight before Elsa could be near hurricane strength before it makes landfall.”
Elsa was forecast to produce between 3-5 inches of rain through Wednesday across the Florida Keys and into southwest and western portions of the peninsula with the rest of the state expected to receive between 2-4 inches of rain.
Tornadoes may be produced throughout the day and into the night across the peninsula, the NHC said, adding that the tornado threat will continue into Wednesday across north Florida, southeast Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
A hurricane watch has been issued for the west-central and Big Bend coast of Florida from Egmont Key to the Steinhatchee River.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Florida Keys from Craig Key westward to the Dry Tortugas and the west coast of Florida from Flamingo northward to the Swannee River while a tropical storm watch was issued for the Georgia coast and South Carolina coast from the mouth of St. Marys River to South Santee Rive.
A storm surge watch was in effect for the west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach north toward the Aucilla River including Tampa Bay and a tropical storm warning alongside teh west coast of Florida was extended northward and westward to the Ochlockonee River.
A tropical storm watch was in effect in the Florida Bay and North of the Suwanee River to Indian Pass.
Elsa is the fifth named storm of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, and is the earliest to arrive. Last year, Tropical Storm Eduardo formed on July 5.
The other storms that preceded Elsa were Ana, Bill, Claudette and Danny. All were tropical storms.