Elsa becomes first hurricane of 2021 season

Tropical Storm Elsa has become the first hurricane of the 2021 season after strengthening rather quickly.

As Elsa moves into the northern Caribbean, it will have some land interaction – possibly with Hispaniola and Cuba – which should weaken the storm. The National Hurricane Center reported a sustained wind of 74 mph with a gust to 86 mph was reported Friday morning in Barbados.

Forecast confidence is not great with this one, as our two major forecast models are in big disagreement on the strength of the storm.   

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But the bottom line is South Florida and the Keys, the Southeast Coast and the Gulf Coast should monitor Elsa’s progress closely.   

Potential impacts could start as early as Monday.  

The Northwest Coast has gotten some relief from the historic deadly heat, but the interior sections of the Northwest, the Northern Rockies and parts of California are still dangerously hot and will remain that way over the weekend. 

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The East Coast and states along the Gulf Coast will have an unsettled holiday weekend, with scattered storms in the forecast Friday and Saturday.   

Sunday and Monday should bring some clearing for the East, but much of the Gulf will still have storms in the forecast.