Photo: NHC
As of the 8 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Elsa is 55 miles west of Key West with 60 mph maximum sustained winds and heading North Northwest at 12 miles per hour, all the same as at 5 a.m. The storm is expected to strengthen some before making landfall near Tampa on Wednesday. There is a Hurricane Watch in effect for portions of Florida's west coast.
SUMMARY OF 800 AM EDT...1200 UTC...INFORMATION
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LOCATION...24.5N 82.6W
ABOUT 55 MI...90 KM W OF KEY WEST FLORIDA
ABOUT 240 MI...385 KM S OF TAMPA FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...60 MPH...95 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNW OR 340 DEGREES AT 12 MPH...19 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1007 MB...29.74 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
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CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:
None.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
* West coast of Florida from Bonita Beach to the Aucilla
River, including Tampa Bay
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* The Cuban provinces of Matanzas, Mayabeque, Havana, and Artemisa
* The Florida Keys from Craig Key westward to the Dry Tortugas
* West coast of Florida from Flamingo northward to Ochlockonee River
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* Egmont Key to the Steinhatchee River, Florida
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for...
* West of the Aucilla River to the Ochlockonee River, Florida
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
* West of the Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass, Florida
* Mouth of St. Marys River to South Santee River, South Carolina
A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening
inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline,
during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations. For a depiction
of areas at risk, please see the National Weather Service Storm
Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov. This is a
life-threatening situation. Persons located within these areas
should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from
rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions.
Promptly follow evacuation and other instructions from local
officials.
Interests elsewhere in the Carolinas and the mid-Atlantic coast
should monitor the progress of Elsa.
DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
At 800 AM EDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Elsa was
located near latitude 24.5 North, longitude 82.6 West. Elsa is
moving toward the north-northwest near 12 mph (19 km/h) and this
general motion is expected to continue today, followed by a turn
toward the north by tonight. A north-northeastward motion is
expected on Wednesday. On the forecast track, Elsa will continue to
pass near the Florida Keys this morning, and move near or over
portions of the west coast of Florida later today through tonight.
On Wednesday morning, Elsa is forecast to make landfall along the
north Florida Gulf coast and then move northeastward across the
southeastern United States through Thursday.
Maximum sustained winds remain near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher
gusts. Slow strengthening is forecast through tonight, and Elsa
could be near hurricane strength before it makes landfall in
Florida. Weakening is expected after Elsa moves inland.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km)
from the center. A C-MAN station at Sand Key, Florida, recently
measured a wind gust of 52 mph (83 km/h). The Key West
International Airport also recently measured a wind gust of 48 mph
(77 km/h).
The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb (29.74 inches).