At 5:00 pm today the center of Tropical Storm Elsa was located near latitude 11.2 degrees north, longitude 53.8 degrees west or about 585 miles or 942 kilometers east-southeast of Saint Lucia.

Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph or 75 km/h, with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles or 150 kilometers from the center. Tropical Storm Elsa is moving towards the west northwest near 29 mph or 46 km/h. An increase in forward speed is expected over the next 24 to 36 hours. On the forecast track, the system will pass near Saint Lucia or over the Windward Islands on Friday and move into the Caribbean Sea late Friday.

Elsa is expected to produce rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches or 76 to 152 mm with maximum totals of 10 inches or 254 mm across the Windward Islands on Friday.

Tropical Storm warnings remains in effect for Martinique, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados. Tropical storm watches are in effect for Grenada and its dependencies.

The Saint Lucia Meteorological Services will continue to closely monitor the progress of this system and the next advisory will be issued at 8:00 pm.