HAVANA (AP) — Tropical Storm Elsa swept along Cuba's southern coast early Monday, and forecasters said it could make landfall on the island's central shore by midafternoon.
By Sunday, Cuban officials had evacuated 180,000 people as a precaution against the possibility of heavy flooding from a storm that already battered several Caribbean islands, killing at least three people. Most of those evacuated stayed at relatives' homes, others went to government shelters, and hundreds living in mountainous areas took refuge in caves prepared for emergencies.
Elsa was forecast to cross over Cuba by Monday night and then head for Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 15 counties, including in Miami-Dade County, where a high-rise condominium building collapsed last week.
At 5 a.m. on Monday, the center of Tropical Storm Elsa was located 110 miles east-southeast of Cayo Largo, Cuba, according to forecasters. Elsa was moving toward the northwest near 14 mph with maximum sustained winds at 65 mph.
The center said the storm was likely to gradually weaken while passing over central Cuba. “After Elsa emerges over the Florida Straits and the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, some slight re-strengthening is possible,'' it said.
After Elsa passes the Florida Keys, forecasters expect the storm to move near or over portions of Florida's west coast on Tuesday and Wednesday. The National Hurricane Center says a couple of tornadoes are possible for south Florida late Monday into Tuesday.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for portions of the Florida Keys, from Craig Key westward to the Dry Tortugas, and also along the west coast of Florida from Flamingo to Englewood. This includes Key West, Marco Island, Naples, and Sanibel Island. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in these areas tonight.
Tropical storm watches have also been issued in other parts of Florida, from Craig Key eastward to Ocean Reef, including Florida Bay, and from Englewood northward along the west coast to the Aucilla River, including Tampa Bay. These areas could see tropical storm conditions by Tuesday.
The track of the storm could bring Elsa's center over Florida's Big Bend, through Georgia, and back into the Atlantic.
97.3 The SKY, UF Weather, Florida Storms and AccuWeather will continue to provide updates on Elsa through early this week.