//Tropical Storm Elsa Forms In Eastern Atlantic

Tropical Storm Elsa Forms In Eastern Atlantic

Tropical Storm Elsa is the earliest fifth named storm on record.

At 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Elsa was located near latitude 9.4 North, longitude 48.8 West. Elsa is moving toward the west near 25 mph (41 km/h). An even faster motion to the west-northwest is expected over the next 24 to 36 hours. On the forecast track, the system will pass near or over portions of the Windward Islands or the southern Leeward Islands on Friday, move into the eastern Caribbean Sea late Friday and Friday night, and move near the southern coast of Hispaniola on Saturday.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts.
Some additional strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 km) from the center.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 mb (29.71 inches).