At 800 AM AST (1200 UTC), the center of Hurricane Elsa was located near latitude 16.5 North, longitude 70.3 West. Elsa is moving very quickly toward the west-northwest near 31 mph (50 km/h). A decrease in forward speed is expected later today and Sunday, followed by a turn toward the northwest Sunday night or Monday. On the forecast track, Elsa will move near the southern coast of Hispaniola later today and tonight, and move near Jamaica and portions of eastern Cuba on Sunday. By Monday, Elsa is expected to move across central and western Cuba and head toward the Florida Straits.
Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected today, but slow weakening is forecast on Sunday and Monday when Elsa is expected to be near or over Cuba.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles (35 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (205 km).
