Nearly 9 million people in Florida were under tropical storm watches and warnings July 5 after forecasters extended the tropical storm watch for Tropical Storm Elsa.
President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Florida due to the storm, and Governor Ron DeSantis also declared a state of emergency in 15 counties.
The watch was extended north along the state's western coast and there was a storm warning west along the Panhandle, reported CBS News.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Elsa was expected to move near the lower Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas on July 6, then "near or over" parts of Florida's west coast into Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Elsa made landfall along Cuba's southern coast July 5 in the afternoon, and forecasters said it could turn toward Florida. Cuban officials evacuated 180,000 people as a precaution against the possibility of heavy flooding, reported CBS News.
The hurricane center said the storm was likely to gradually weaken while passing over central Cuba but "slight re-strengthening is forecast after Elsa moves over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico."
Due to concern about possible high winds from the approaching storm, officials in Surfside, Florida, ordered the demolition of the remaining part of the condominium building that partially collapsed, reported CBS News.
Elsa is the earliest fifth-named storm on record and broke the record as the tropic's fastest-moving hurricane at 31 mph July 3 morning, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami, reported CBS News.
Elsa's center with sustained winds of 60 mph, was over water about 55 miles west of Key West as of 8 a.m. ET, according to the National Hurricane Center.
