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Tropical Storm Elsa continues to weaken as it moves across southern Georgia.
Maximum winds have decreased to 45 mph, according to the 5 p.m. EDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center.
Elsa should weaken to a tropical depression on Thursday as it moves through the Carolinas, but additional tropical storm watches have been issued for the Northeast as the storm may slightly intensify on Friday.
New tropical storm watches include Long Island from East Rockaway Inlet to the eastern tip along the south shore and from Port Jefferson Harbor to the eastern tip along the north shore. A tropical storm watch has also been issued for the coast of southern New England from New Haven, Connecticut to Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, including Cape Cod, Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket.
A tropical storm watch or warning covers much of the eastern seaboard, stretching from Georgia to Massachusetts.
Tropical Storm Elsa has moved across Florida, leaving more than 25,000 customers without power. The storm is now heading toward Georgia and the Carolinas before inching up the mid-Atlantic coast.
Meteorologists have predicted the storm will move from Georgia to Maine within the next two days, as either a tropical storm and a tropical depression. However, the storm’s path remains unpredictable and may vary as Elsa progresses up the coast.
Here’s a break down of the storm’s expected path, according to the National Hurricane Center’s latest forecast:
View CNN’s storm tracker here.
Tropical Storm Elsa is heading toward Georgia, where it may maintain tropical storm strength into this evening, forecasters said.
However, the storm may weaken to a tropical depression by tomorrow morning, when it is due to be over South Carolina.
In southeastern Georgia and the lowlands of South Carolina, the hurricane center predicts about two to six inches of rain.
Tropical Storm Elsa will eventually skirt along the mid-Atlantic coast, with a potential to restrengthen into a tropical storm in the Northeast by Friday morning, according to the hurricane center. An estimated one to five inches of rain are possible in coastal portions of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia through Thursday night.
Read more on Tropical Storm Elsa’s progress here.
There are more than 25,000 customers without power in the state of Florida, according to PowerOutage.us.
As of 2:13 p,m. ET, 25,773 customers have lost power as Tropical Storm Elsa made landfall in Florida.
The storm is now pushing inland and slowly weakening, but is expected to remain a tropical storm as it moves up the eastern seaboard over the next several days.
Elsa is now “inland and weakening over Northern Florida,” the National Hurricane Center said in its 2 p.m. ET update.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph as it continues to crawl across the state. All warnings have been discontinued south of the Suwannee River, the National Hurricane Center said.
Here’s a look at the latest path:
It was a night of heavy rains and high winds for people on the Florida coast as Tropical Storm Elsa approached the area. Johnathan Riches of Tampa shot these videos on Wednesday in Cedar Key, Florida, hours before the storm made landfall today.
Riches told CNN that the worst of the storm seemed to happen between 6 and 8:30 a.m. ET.
He also posted photo of damage to the roof of the Beach Front Motel, where he is staying.
Here’s what it looked like:
Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez said Wednesday that Tropical Storm Elsa has made landfall in the big bend area of Florida’s western coast.
Speaking at a press conference in Surfside, Nuñez said the storm is currently impacting Taylor County.
The National Weather Service said the storm’s maximum sustained winds remain at 65 mph, with higher gusts.
Nuñez said the storm will likely head into the Carolinas later today through Thursday.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said there is the possibility of flooding and power outages as Tropical Storm Elsa moves north into Florida, especially since there’s been “significant rain over the past week” in his area.
The mayor also said the tropical storm is a signal for residents to get ready now for hurricane season.
“This is an opportunity to remind ourselves early in the season that you need to know your evacuation zone. You need to have your hurricane kits, your storm kits prepared. If you don’t have it ready … if you don’t know your zone, get ready,” Curry said.
Tropical Storm Elsa is making landfall in Florida in Taylor County, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Maximum sustained winds remain at 65 mph, with higher gusts. The storm will now push inland and slowly weaken, but it is expected to remain a tropical storm as it moves up the eastern seaboard over the next several days.
Heavy rains will continue to be the primary threat from the storm, but tropical storm-force winds, storm surge and isolated tornadoes will continue to be a threat, mainly east of the path of the storm.
Trees are down in some parts of Tampa, Florida as Tropical Storm Elsa makes landfall on the coast.
The city tweeted photos of debris on the road and on a car.
Officials are reminding people not to drive through moving or standing water and to treat out of order traffic signals as 4-way stops.
You can also report damage or fallen trees in your area by calling (813) 274-5744 or (813) 274-3101.
Read the tweet:
President Joe Biden was briefed Wednesday morning on Tropical Storm Elsa, which is set to make landfall in Florida soon, an administration official tells CNN.
“The President received an updated report this morning that highlighted the potential impact of Tropical Storm Elsa in Florida and across parts of the eastern United States,” the official said.
Biden also spoke with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell Tuesday to hear about the agency’s storm preparations, the official noted.
Elsa is forecast to make landfall somewhere on Florida’s West Coast this morning before traveling northeast ward across the state and into Georgia.
Tampa International Airport reopened this morning after temporarily halting flights due to the potential impacts of Tropical Storm Elsa on Tuesday. Tampa International Airport resumed operations at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Southwest Florida International Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport have also reopened after closures yesterday.
However, all three airports warned of potential delays and cancellations as flights resume.
Tampa International Airport did not sustain any damage, according to the statement. Roadways are clear, and garages and the rental car center are open.
Fifteen people were rescued in the water miles off Florida’s Key West after Tropical Storm Elsa surged through the area, the Coast Guard said. Nine other people were believed to be missing in addition to the 15 who were rescued.
Authorities said they searched for the other nine people throughout the night.
A crew on a bulk carrier ship alerted the Coast Guard after finding people in the water 23 miles southwest of Key West. The ship’s crew rescued two people, the Coast Guard said.
The Coast Guard sent a ship to respond to the area, where the small boat crew rescued 13 more people from the water, the service said.
More details will be made available on the nine missing people in a press release soon, the service said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that Tropical Storm Elsa “is now speeding up” and is expected to make landfall near the town of Steinhatchee in the northwest part of the state “in the next few hours.”
DeSantis noted this part of the state has a relatively low population and has reported no fatalities from the storm so far.
DeSantis said as of 8:00 a.m. ET, the storm is moving north at 14 mph and is 35 miles west of Cedar Key with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph.
The governor said tornadoes remain a possibility, particularly in the northwest portion of the state.
Tropical Storm Elsa is about 115 miles northwest of Tampa, Florida, this morning, according to the 8 a.m. ET update from the National Hurricane Center.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph as it continues to inch toward Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Elsa is forecast to make landfall somewhere on Florida’s West Coast this morning before traveling northeast ward across the state and into Georgia.
Here’s the latest predicted path:
There are more than 10,000 customers without power in the state of Florida, according to PowerOutage.com.
As of 7:24 a.m. ET, 10,418 customers have lost power as Tropical Storm Elsa barrels towards the Florida coast.
Landfall is expected late Wednesday morning near Cedar Key.
