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Tropical Storm Elsa makes landfall along Florida Gulf Coast

Published:Wednesday | July 7, 2021 | 10:52 AM
Looking north at the neighbourhood of Paradise Island on Treasure Island, Florida, outer bands of Tropical Storm Elsa brings a downpour of rain over the area on Tuesday afternoon, July 6, 2021. Elsa is expected to impact the Tampa Bay area the heaviest during the predawn hours of Wednesday morning. (Marc Topkin/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

ST PETERSBURG, Florida (AP) — The United States National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Elsa has made landfall along north Florida's Gulf Coast.

The storm's centre went ashore in Taylor County, a lightly populated area, on Wednesday morning.

Forecasters say Elsa's path will slice across inland north Florida with heavy rains and wind and then move on to Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia before heading out in the Atlantic Ocean by Friday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 65 miles per hour with higher gusts. Weakening is expected as Elsa moves further inland later Wednesday.

Tornado warnings were issued in several northern Florida counties, including the Gainesville area, on Wednesday morning.

Heavy rain and gusty winds are expected across northern Florida once the storm makes an expected turn to the northeast.

Some flooding is also expected in the region, where the ground is already saturated from heavy rain late last week.

Governor Ron DeSantis said at a morning news conference that no major structural damage or deaths from the storm had been reported.

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