Hurricane Elsa shifting rapidly throughout jap Caribbean Sea

July 3, 2021

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Hurricane Elsa is approaching the south coast of Hispaniola on Saturday morning. It is currently 110 miles southeast of Isla Beata, Dominican Republic and moving at 31 miles per hour to WNW. Maximum sustained winds are 75 miles per hour with gusts up to 90 miles per hour.

Elsa is expected to bring hurricane conditions to parts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Saturday. It will approach the southern coast of Haiti and the Dominican Republic in the evening and move to near Jamaica and parts of eastern Cuba on Sunday.

On the forecast route, Elsa will move to near the south coast of Hispaniola tonight and near Jamaica and parts of eastern Cuba on Sunday. By Monday, Elsa is expected to roam central and western Cuba and head towards the Florida Straits.

The Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Florida Peninsula, and the Florida Keys are recommended to monitor Elsa’s progress.

Hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area in Haiti and the Dominican Republic by late Saturday; Jamaica and Eastern Cuba through Sunday. Hurricane force winds extend 25 miles outward from central Elsa. Winds with tropical storm strength extend up to 200 kilometers from the center outwards.

A storm surge of 3 to 5 feet is expected along the south coast of Cuba; 2 to 4 feet along the south coast of Haiti and the Dominican Republic; and 1 to 3 feet for Jamaica.

One to 3 inches of rain, up to 5 inches, will fall in Puerto Rico through Saturday, and 4 to 20 inches, with up to 15, can fall in southern Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica Saturday through Sunday. This could lead to occasional flash floods and mudslides.

By early next week, Elsa is expected to bring 5 to 10 inches and up to 15 of rain to parts of the Cayman Islands and Cuba. Rainfall in the Florida Keys through South Florida through early next week will be 2 to 4 inches, with a possible 6 inches.

This weekend there will be lethal surf and rip currents through the Caribbean Sea.