Tropical Storm Elsa is expected to strike the Northeast with heavy rains and high winds by the end of the week after leaving a trail of destruction in its wake across Florida and Georgia.
A tropical storm warning was issued in the tri-state area on Wednesday as Elsa continues to cut up the East Coast after making landfall in Florida as a hurricane earlier this week.
The tropical storm has already killed at least one person and injured various others across the Southeastern coast.
Now meteorologists have warned residents from Washington, DC, to Philadelphia to New York City to Maine to batten down the hatches in preparation for flash flooding and potential tornadoes.
As of midday Thursday the storm was centered over the Carolinas and moving north-east at a speed of 18 miles per hour with winds up to 40 miles per hour, Accuweather reported.
Tropical Storm Elsa is expected to approach New York on Friday with winds of up to 50 mph
The National Hurricane center says heavy rainfall is predicted as Tropical Storm Elsa moves across North Carolina on Thursday
Tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood watches and warnings are in effect as Tropical Storm Elsa moves through the southeast
Tropical Storm Elsa moves across the southeast on Thursday morning before making its way to the northeast
Elsa is forecasted to slowly lose wind intensity while it crosses the Southeast, eventually traveling along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts from Thursday night into Friday.
By Thursday night, Elsa will cut a path east of Washington, DC and into Philadelphia, where flooding and gusty winds will be the biggest threat, ABC 7 News reported.
The storm is expected to approach Long Island by Friday morning with wind gust of up to 40 to 50 mph across the region and heavy rain and flash flooding possible for major cities in the Northeast, including Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, ABC News reported.
The tri-state area could see two to three inches of rain or more, The National Weather Service said.
But while Elsa will bring heavy rain, the fast movement of the storm should help to limit excessive rainfall and the threat of widespread flooding, Accuweather reported.
Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for coastal New Jersey, along Long Island from East Rockaway Inlet to the eastern tip along the south shore and from Port Jefferson Harbor eastward on the north shore, and from New Haven, Connecticut to Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, including Cape Cod, Block Island,
