Tropical Storm Elsa gaining strength, could become hurricane

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By CURT ANDERSON and FREIDA FRISARO

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Elsa is strengthening and could became a hurricane before making landfall along Florida’s Gulf coast. The storm has already complicated the search for survivors in the collapse of a Miami-area condominium 12 days ago.

In addition to damaging winds and heavy rains, the Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center warned of life-threatening storm surges, flooding and isolated tornadoes. A hurricane warning has been issued for a long stretch of coastline, from Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay to the Steinhatchee River in Florida’s Big Bend area.

“Although the environment is not conducive for significant strengthening before landfall, only a slight increase in intensity would result in Elsa becoming a hurricane” Tuesday night or early Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said in its 2 p.m. advisory.

The Tampa area is highly vulnerable to storm surge because the offshore waters and Tampa Bay are quite shallow, experts say.



Wind moves the grass and palm trees under a cloudy sky after the passage of Tropical Storm Elsa in Havana, Cuba, Monday, July 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/tropical-storm-elsa-florida-path-d5d1e6282b7cdd82e722ad9bb4db8e3f

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Yeah it's back up to a strong TS

with 70 mph winds and probably could reach hurricane strength before landfall on the peninsula. But it still doesn't appear to be vertically stacked, with the lower level circulation way off to the west of the convective upper levels (at least on the true color visible sat).

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

2. 70 or 75, same storm, whole penisula going to be dragged through the firehose, think water, not wind

Either way, be gone in a day

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

3. Elsa Becomes a Hurricane Again Off the West Coast of Florida

Elsa has once again become a hurricane as it's about to begin a scrape of Florida's west coast including the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro area.

A hurricane warning has been issued for a part of the west coast of Florida from Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay to Steinhatchee. This warning, meaning hurricane conditions (winds at least 74 mph) are expected, includes Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater Beach and Cedar Key.

Elsa's center is expected to track close enough to these areas to produce strong winds, as well as storm surge flooding, rainfall flooding and isolated tornadoes tonight into Wednesday.

Elsa is expected to make landfall Wednesday near or south of Cedar Key.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/elsa-becomes-a-hurricane-again-off-the-west-coast-of-florida/ar-AALQRsn