Eastern Caribbean on alert as Tropical Storm Elsa approaches (Updated)

Barbados, Martinique, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have been placed under a Tropical Storm Watch and Guadeloupe and Grenada are under a Tropical Storm Warning.

This as newly formed Tropical Storm Elsa approaches the Eastern Caribbean, with forecasters predicting it will pass near or over portions of the Windward Islands or the Southern Leeward Islands on Friday.

The Thursday afternoon forecast placed the centre of Tropical Storm Elsa at 10.6 degrees North and 52.6 degrees West, with  movement towards the West-North-West at about 28 miles per hour. The maximum sustained winds are near 45 miles (75 km) per hour with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours.

Photo credit: Trinidad and Tobago Weather Centre