Latest AFD From Mount Holly on Elsa-
Overview: Tropical Storm Elsa will move over, or just east of our area Thursday night into Friday morning, with additional storms possible Friday afternoon ahead of a cold front. A brief break in active weather is expected on Saturday behind the front. Details: Guidance has continued to shift slightly west with the track of Elsa, with the consensus track now taking the low over portions of Delmarva and then into NJ Thursday night into Friday morning. Given this shift in track, the threat to our area has increased and thus a tropical storm watch is in effect for coastal NJ, southern Delmarva and adjacent marine zones. Regarding impacts, much will still depend upon the exact track and structure of the system when it reaches the area. Most of the TC phase-space diagrams would indicate the system will likely be in at least the early stages of ET by the time it reaches the Mid-Atlantic. Consequently we could begin to see some of the typical structural changes that accompany ET, including a more asymmetric wind field, and the heaviest rain axis shifting just left of center. This naturally complicates the forecast, however given the current track would expect that Tropical Storm force winds would largely be confined to the immediate NJ/DE coasts (and adjacent waters), with the heaviest rainfall largely focused along I-95 and points SE. That being said, any further westward shifts would bring stronger winds further inland and shift the heaviest rainfall axis further inland. Given the potential for 1-3 inches of precipitation (with locally higher amounts not out of the question), have elected to issue a Flash Flood Watch with the afternoon package... it currently encompasses the entire area, given the uncertainty in the spatial distribution of rainfall.