Image via National Weather Service
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If you were hoping Tropical Storm Elsa would let it go this weekend, we’ve got some bad news: This morning, the storm had the audacity to strengthen into a hurricane, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend.
While it’s still unclear what impact Elsa might have on South Florida, a hurricane warning – the advisory that warns of the most immediate effect – is in place for Barbados, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A hurricane watch – a slightly less alarming alert that tells residents to make preparations – is in effect for portions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The Caribbean islands of Martinique, Grenada, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Jamaica, and Dominica have also been warned to expect tropical storm conditions.
#Elsa has strengthened into a hurricane. A sustained wind of 74 mph with a gust to 86 mph was recently reported at Barbados. A special advisory is being issued shortly. More info: https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB pic.twitter.com/oQ8aCP7mEv
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) July 2, 2021
Notably, the hurricane could affect the ongoing rescue operations at the site of the collapsed condo building in Surfside. The search resumed last night after a temporary pause following a warning from structural engineers that the still-standing portions of Champlain Towers South were at risk of crumbling down.
At a press conference yesterday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state is making contingency plans for the approaching storm.
“We are not expecting any impact through Saturday, but obviously the state meteorological team is actively monitoring the storm and will continue to provide updates,” he said.
