UPDATE 7/7/2021 11:20am:
Elsa just made landfall in Steinhatchee, FL with 65 mph sustained winds.
BREAKING: #Tropical storm #Elsa has made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. pic.twitter.com/ayNWjmrc9F
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) July 7, 2021
TS Elsa is unleashing devastating conditions across Cedar Key, FL. This definitely does not look like a tropical storm. #Elsa pic.twitter.com/boHVgNsYEA
— Evan J. WX (@evanjameswx) July 7, 2021
The storm is now barreling toward the Carolinas and is expected to travel directly over Charlotte tomorrow morning, bringing damaging winds, flash flooding, and possible tornadoes.
UPDATE 7/5/2021 11:00am:
Elsa has now been downgraded to a Tropical Storm as several land masses in the Caribbean slowed it’s top wind speed.
The trajectory of the storm is now expected to cross over both Carolinas this coming Thursday:
While Elsa has now been downgraded to a Tropical Storm, there is still a chance it could strengthen back to a Category 1 storm and potentially plow through the Charlotte region with hurricane force winds.
UPDATE 7/2/2021 10:00am:
Tropical Storm Elsa has just been upgraded to Hurricane Elsa. The storm has also increased it’s velocity and tightened its trajectory with most paths heading for the Carolinas:
According to the National Hurricane Center:
At 830 AM AST (1230 UTC), the center of Hurricane Elsa was located near latitude 13.1 North, longitude 60.1 West. Elsa is moving toward the west-northwest near 28 mph (44 km/h), and this motion is expected to continue during the next couple of days. On the forecast track, Elsa will pass near or over portions of the Windward Islands or the southern Leeward Islands this morning, move across the eastern Caribbean Sea late today and tonight, and move near the southern coast of Hispaniola on Saturday. By Sunday, Elsa is forecast to move near Jamaica and portions of eastern Cuba. Reports from Barbados indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles (35 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km). Barbados recently reported sustained winds of 74 mph (119 km/h) and a wind gust of 86 mph (138 km/h).
ORIGINAL ARTICLE 7/1/2021 11:00am:
A rapidly developing tropical storm in the Atlantic Ocean is barreling toward the Carolinas and could make landfall in the southern tip of Florida as early as next Tuesday.
According to the National Hurricane Center:
At 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Elsa was located near latitude 10.1 North, longitude 51.4 West. Elsa is moving toward the west near 28 mph (44 km/h). An even faster motion toward the west-northwest is expected over the next 24 to 36 hours. On the forecast track, Elsa will 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. By early Sunday Elsa is forecast to move near portions of eastern Cuba.
Most of the current track models show the storm impacting the Carolinas by the end of next week:
The Atlantic Coast hurricane season for 2021 runs from June 1st through November 30th.
NWS officials are reminding all residents in Atlantic Coast states to be prepared for this hurricane season.
In case of a power outage, make sure to have the following emergency items stocked in your home;
- Car charger for cell phones and other devices
- Clean drinking water (recommended 1 gallon per person per day, minimum three days)
- Flashlights
- Batteries: Extra batteries for all of your devices
- Weather radio/clock
- Non-perishable food
- First aid kit
We will continue to update this article as this storm develops.