Tropical Storm Elsa strengthens, continues track toward Florida
Miami, Fl (treasurecoast.com) –Tropical Storm Elsa is moving rapidly to the west-northwest. The forecast track has it approaching Florida by Monday evening.
The storm is already a record-breaking and unusual system, and could signal a very busy hurricane season to come.
Elsa, which formed Thursday morning and is packing maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, is the earliest fifth-named storm on record. The previous record holder was Tropical Storm Edouard, which formed on July 6, 2020.
Most computer models take the system over the Lesser Antilles by Friday morning, passing south of Hispanola by Saturday afternoon, moving over Cuba on Sunday, and then approaching the Florida Peninsula late Monday and early Tuesday.
If the same track continues, Elsa would arrive near South Florida as tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph.
What this means is South Florida and the Treasure Coast will likely experience heavy rain and gusty winds during the early part of next week because of Elsa.
