Elsa is now a category 1 hurricane based off of its 75 mile per hour wind speeds. The National Hurricane Center classifies category 1 hurricanes when storms have 74 mile per hour to 95 mile per hour wind speeds.

Right now, Hurricane Elsa is way away from the United States, bringing hurricane conditions to Barbados and tropical storm conditions to the Leeward and Windward Islands.

As this is tracking closer to America, it will bring tropical storm conditions to Jamaica by Saturday night before continuing northwest and approaching Cuba. Right now, no major changes in the path toward Florida’s most southern tip are expected.

Elsa will likely approach Florida’s southern tip late Monday into early Tuesday. With lots of shear, the system should remain weak in intensity, making landfall as a tropical storm or category 1. This is moving very quickly at 28 miles per hour. Greatest impacts will be along and east of wherever the center tracks on shore, so being on the western side of this is best.

Right now, Right now, no immediate concerns amid open waters locally or across either the Alabama coast or Florida panhandle if you have 4th of July beach plans. As always, stay with WGNO for the latest!