Elsa is finally exiting the United States East Coast, after triggering numerous tornado warnings last night from North Carolina to New Jersey and flooding portions of the New York City subway system with nearly waist-deep water. The last advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has Elsa located east of Long Island; it is expected to cross extreme southeastern New England over the next few hours before completely leaving the U.S. for the Canadian Maritimes. At 2pm ET, the National Hurricane Center downgraded Elsa to a Post-Tropical Cyclone.
Today, the threat of flooding rains is over eastern New England. The storm is compact and fast moving, but the rains it dumps in short periods of time is heavy enough to create localized flood conditions. The National Weather Service cautions: “Turn around, don’t drown; never drive through flood waters.”
Tropical storm conditions will continue over portions of the warning area over the northeastern U.S. coast through mid-afternoon. Elsa is expected to bring gusty winds to portions of Atlantic Canada tonight and Saturday after it becomes a post-tropical cyclone.
Across southern and coastal New England…2-4″ of rain with isolated totals up to 6″ are possible through today.
Once Elsa exits, things will become quiet once again in the tropical Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center says there’s no threat of tropical cyclone formation anywhere in the Atlantic basin for the next five days.
