Tropical Storm Elsa Stronger As It Heads To Caribbean

Friday July 2 2021

The fifth named storm of the Atlantic season is the most potent to date. Tropical Storm Elsa is in the western Atlantic Ocean this morning and heading to the Lesser Antilles Islands, with a long range track to the west side of Florida next week.

Tropical Storm Warnings and Hurricane Watches have been issued along the path.

This is a very quick mover, which may help play a role in its impact.

Large and Fast

The maximum sustained winds are up to 60 mph, and tropical storm force winds extend 140 miles from the center. The storm is racing to the west at 28 mph, which is rare for a tropical system at such a low latitude this early in the season.

Satellite Image

National Hurricane Center Update

SUMMARY OF 500 AM AST…0900 UTC…INFORMATION

———————————————-

LOCATION…12.7N 58.6W
ABOUT 70 MI…110 KM ESE OF BARBADOS
ABOUT 180 MI…290 KM ESE OF ST. VINCENT
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…60 MPH…95 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…WNW OR 290 DEGREES AT 28 MPH…44 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1001 MB…29.56 INCHES

Satellite Loop

Long Range Track

The speed brings this to the Gulf of Mexico on the west side of Florida by early next week (Day 5).

Wind (40+) Arrival Time

Watches and Warnings

The National Hurricane Center map shows this remaining a Tropical Storm (S), but this has a chance to become a hurricane as indicated by the Hurricane Watches.

ALSO SEE: 2021 Tropical Season Forecast and Storm Names

Detailed Watch and Warning Update

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…

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

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...

Southern portion of Haiti from Port Au Prince to the southern
border with the Dominican Republic

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…

Grenada and its dependencies
Saba and Sint Eustatius
Jamaica

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are

expected somewhere within the warning area.

A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible

within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours

before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force

winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or

dangerous.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are

possible within the watch area.

Interests elsewhere in the Windward Islands, Leeward Islands, the

Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba

should monitor the progress of Elsa. Additional watches and

warnings will likely be required later today.

In Case You Missed It:

Amazing Video of Baltimore Lightning and Storm Photos

Earthquake in Woodlawn, MD on Friday

Sunshine State Of Mind

I am done with the cold and snow (for the season). I am embracing my wife’s mantra of Sunshine State of Mind.

This was designed by Shannon Berk and we will be wearing it through spring and to the beach.

Double Benefit: Proceeds will be split between our nonprofit Just In Power Kids and the development of my new weather website. That has been scheduled to be ready to launch in May.