National Hurricane Center Says New Potential Tropical Cyclone Could Be Storm Elsa

The National Hurricane Center said one of the two potential tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean would become Tropical Storm Elsa within the next day or so.

However, it is unclear this time whether either will pose a direct threat to the United States, USA Today reported. The National Hurricane Center said that tropical storm watches have been up for several Caribbean islands.

AccuWeather senior meteorologist Rob Miller noted that this disturbance is likely to develop as it moves into and travels through the Caribbean.

Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore said it is too early to say whether there will be any effect on the U.S. from the system. This includes South Florida, where Surfside rescuers are still digging through the rubble of the collapsed Champlain Towers condominium.

The National Hurricane Center said that Florida should monitor updates to the forecast for this system. However, the center added that it is too soon to determine what possible impacts could happen next week with the uncertainty in the long-range forecast.

Tropical Storm Watches in the Caribbean

Tropical Storm watches were also released for Barbados, St. Vincent, the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Martinique, and Guadeloupe. It means that the tropical storm level could come in the next 48 hours.

The forecasters said that interests elsewhere in the Windward Islands, Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti should observe the progress of this system, Miami Herald reported.

The forecasters added that watching it would likely be required tonight, June 30, and on Thursday, July 1. The forecasters noted that this system could bring three to six inches of rain and eight inches in some regions on Friday, July 2. They noted that this could cause flooding and mudslides.

Jeff Huffman, the chief meteorologist of UF Weather, told the Floridians not to freak out if a cone is pointed toward the state.

Huffman noted that forecasters are far less sure of the long-term predictions than they are for short-term predictions. As of now, wind shear is of modest strength in parts of the Caribbean, which is usually early in hurricane season, according to a Weather report.

Florida Building Collapse

The death toll from the condominium that collapsed in Florida has risen to 18 after the bodies of two children were pulled out from the ruins, New York Post reported.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said it is also with great sorrow and pain that among the rising death toll were two children aged four and 10.

Cava noted that any loss of life, given the unexpected nature of the event, is a tragedy. She added that the loss of children is too great to bear.

The mayor further noted that there are still 145 people unaccounted for seven days after the condominium collapsed. Canva said officials are conducting an audit to confirm the identities of all those missing and those accounted for.

Crews are still looking through the ruins of the fallen tower, with workers from as far off as Israel and Mexico helping local rescuers.

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