BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH Tropical Storm Elsa barrelling towards the region, at least five islands are either under storm watch or warning.
The National Hurricane Center in its afternoon report on Elsa said that the center of Tropical was located near latitude 10.6 North, longitude 52.6 West, and is moving toward the west-northwest near 28 mph.
It is currently packing winds near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts, and forecasters predicted additional strengthening during the next 48 hours.
That prediction has prompted met officials to place Barbados, Martinique, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines under a Tropical Storm Watch.
Meanwhile,Grenada has been placed under a Tropical Storm Warning.
The National Hurricane Center explained tht a Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in the warning area within 36 hours, and that a Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area within 36 hours.
The Florida-based NHC stated that on the forecast track, Elsa would pass near or over portions of the Windward Islands or the southern Leeward Islands tomorrow (July 2), moving into the eastern Caribbean Sea late that day and into the night, and move near the southern coast of Hispaniola on the following day.
