Where is Tropical Storm Elsa now and what is its path?
TROPICAL Storm Elsa made landfall on Florida's west coast the morning of July 7, 2021, battering the state with torrential rain and tornadoes. Residents have been urged to stay indoors after the storm brought in 65mph winds as it makes its way North to the Carolinas. Tropical Storm Elsa is said to be brewing off Florida's western coast toward Cedar Key. Residents have been frantically preparing for the storm as Tampa Bay was under a severe weather warning. Over 12 million people are under a tropical storm warning across three states after the National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced that the storm was headed north of Florida's Gulf Coast on July 7. The storm is expected to "move across the south-eastern United States through Thursday, July 8," they said in an update after Elsa wreaked havoc in Cuba and a series of Caribbean islands. Commercial flights at the Tampa airport were suspended on Wednesday, July 7, amid the storm's passing, but have since resumed. 5 Elsa has been making its way through northern Florida as of July 7, 2021 Credit: AP  Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said there is the possibility of flooding and power outages throughout northern Florida. Curry told CNN that even though "It's not a hurricane with a direct hit, we don't want people to get overconfident, be out in their cars and potentially driving into flooding." Adding: "You can have downed power lines with wind. There's a whole lot of possibilities that can happen in these storms. "This is an opportunity to remind ourselves early in the season that you need to know your evacuation zone. "You need to have your hurricane kits, your storm kits prepared. If you don't have it ready ... if you don't know your zone, get ready," Curry said. Tropical Storm Elsa slammed the southern coasts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic on Saturday, July 3, with 65mph winds, resulting in the deaths of three people. The National Hurricane Center ramped up its tropical storm warning and watches on Florida's western edge on Monday, July 5, after more than 180,000 were evacuated in Cuba. It weakened to a tropical storm as it began to move north, yet after leaving Cuba, it briefly regained hurricane force over the Gulf of Mexico. It was then downgraded again on its approach to Florida. 5 Elsa is headed to the Carolinas Credit: The Weather Channel  But meteorologists say it has again strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane with 75mph winds. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 15 counties - including Miami-Dade - with warnings of flooding and even tornadoes. He said: "All Floridians in the potential path of this storm need to prepare for the risk of isolated tornadoes, storm surge, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding." With Florida bracing for a battering from Storm Elsa, it is feared the weather could endanger search efforts to find more than 120 people missing after the Champlain Tower South Condo in Surfside collapsed. The remaining portion of the partially collapsed condo was demolished ahead of storm Elsa  despite pleas from survivors to save their pets. The storm whipped through Cuba on the evening of Monday, July 5, before reaching the Florida straits on Tuesday morning. The NHC has issued hurricane warnings for areas near the west coast of Florida and from Tampa Bay northward to Steinhatchee. 5 15 Florida counties were issued a state of emergency Credit: Reuters  The state of emergency was issued in 15 counties that are in the potential path of Elsa. These cover Charlotte; Citrus; Collier; DeSoto; Hardee; Hernando; Hillsborough; Lee; Levy; Manatee; Miami-Dade; Monroe; Pasco; Pinellas; and Sarasota Counties. This was issued to give state and local governments ample time, resources, and flexibility to prepare for the storm to hit. After Florida, the hurricane is expected to head to Georgia and South Carolina, where tropical storm warnings have now also been issued. Tropical Storm Elsa has already battered Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. The storm pummelled the Caribbean islands over the weekend, with one death reported in St. Lucia, according to Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management. A boy, 15, and a 75-year-old woman died on Saturday, July 3, in separate incidents in the Dominican Republic and on the Eastern Caribbean island of St Lucia, one man also died. Waves 12-to-14 ft (356cm to 427cm) high washed debris ashore in capital Santo Domingo. In Barbados, more than 1,100 residents reported damage to property and at least 62 properties collapsed as the island was battered with strong gusts and torrential downpours. Downed trees also were reported in Haiti, which is especially vulnerable to floods and landslides because of widespread erosion and deforestation. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has estimated that there will be between three and five major hurricanes this season. They predict they will be Category 3 or above - and will be joined by 13 to 20 storms that will be powerful enough to gain names.