Tropical Storm Elsa made landfall along Florida’s northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday morning, becoming the first major storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season to hit the state’s mainland. Elsa came ashore around 11 a.m. in Taylor County, southeast of Tallahassee, after it passed over the Florida Keys on Tuesday, bringing rain and gusty winds. The storm became the first hurricane of the season on Friday, when it strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane before weakening into a tropical storm. As of 2 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, Elsa was weakening over northern Florida, moving north at 14 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds of 50 m.p.h., the National Hurricane Center said. Tropical storm watches remain in effect as far north as New Jersey.

Source: International New York Times July 07, 2021 15:30 UTC