Hurricane Elsa (2021)

Basin

North Atlantic

Dates

June 30, 2021 to July 10, 2021

Peak strength

Category 1, 75 kt (86 mph)

Lowest pressure

991 mb (29.26 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

9.9

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

140 nmi (259 km, 161 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

20 nmi (37 km, 23 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

15 nmi (28 km, 17 mi)

Overall size

180 nmi (333 km, 207 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

85 kt (98 mph)

Fastest the center moved

42 kt (48 mph)

Identifier

AL052021

Radar at KOKX as it neared land, Jul 9, 15:00 UTC

The sources count different things and are not added together.

Landfall points the US agencies flagged in the best track. The nearest town is named from the site’s gazetteer, not from the report.

NOAA’s Storm Events database, the record National Weather Service offices compile months after a storm, as compiled March 2026.

Deaths

10 (10 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

18

Property damage

$2.1 million

Crop damage

none recorded

Events recorded

508 in 59 reports from 17 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

134 heavy rain, 95 tropical storm, 72 thunderstorm wind, 55 flash flood, 54 marine tropical storm, 29 marine thunderstorm wind, 21 flood, 16 tornado, 14 tropical depression, 7 storm surge/tide, 6 marine tropical depression, 2 lightning, 1 hail, 1 coastal flood, 1 funnel cloud.

16 tornadoes recorded in the United States, strongest first.

The strongest winds National Weather Service offices recorded with this storm. An estimated figure is a forecaster’s judgment from the damage, not an instrument reading.

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

Per a U.S. Coast Guard media release, the U.S. Coast Guard suspended search for 9 souls missing at sea approximately 23 nautical miles southeast of Key West. A vessel with 22 souls on board departed Cuba and capsized approximately 1900 EST July 4th. A good samaritan motor vessel and U.S. Coast Guard assets were able to rescue 13 survivors in the water. Date of fatalities were assigned to the suspension of the search upon official presumption of lives lost at sea.

Straits of Florida From West End of Seven Mile Bridge To South of Halfmoon Shoal Out 20 Nm, Gulf of Mexico · Marine Tropical Storm · Jul 5, 00:30 UTC

Tropical storm force winds impacted the Lower Florida Keys of Monroe County, with peak sustained winds measured at 52 mph with gusts to 70 mph at Key West International Airport. Other notable wind measurements include sustained winds of 47 mph with gusts to 59 mph at the Naval Air Station Key West's Boca Chica Field, and a peak gust of 56 mph at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Key West. Wind impacts included widely-separated instances of downed large tree limbs, mainly from Key West through the Saddlebunch Keys. A few power distribution circuits were out in the city of Key West due to fallen trees and tree limbs. Total customers impacted were estimated around 3500 in the Lower Keys. Moderate beach erosion occurred on the oceanside of Key West.

Monroe/Lower Keys, Florida · Tropical Storm · Jul 6, 02:30 UTC

As TS Elsa moved westward near the FL Straits and then northward once in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, outer rain bands produced maximum sustained winds generally between 25-35 mph. An earlier rain band moved across coastal Collier County, with peak wind gusts of 41 mph/36 knots recorded at the ASOS station at Naples Municipal Airport, 43 mph/37 knots recorded by the mesonet (XCAP) at Isles of Capri and at the AWOS station at Marco Island Airport, 45 mph/39 knots recorded by the mesonet (NPLSR) at Naples Pelican Bay, and 47 mph/41 knots recorded by the mesonet (MRCSC) at Marco Island. Overall wind impacts were minor.

Coastal Collier County, Florida · Tropical Depression · Jul 6, 11:00 UTC

Tropical storm force winds and gusts impacted Glynn county for a couple of hours in the early evening of July 7th. At 6:20 pm EDT, a trained spotter reported a tree blown down across GA Highway 32 near Mile Marker 2. This was about 5 miles ESE of Thalmann. At 6:43 pm EDT, the ASOS at McKinnon Airport on St. Simons Island measured a wind gust of 45 mph. Between 7-8 pm, a WeatherFlow mesonet site on Jekyll Island measured at maximum sustained wind of 48 mph (at 7:32 pm, 1 minute average) and a peak wind gust of 58 mph (at 7:19 pm). At 7:38 pm EDT, the ASOS at the St Simons Malcom McKinnon Airport measured a gust of 51 mph. At 7:45 pm EDT, the KSSI ASOS measured a sustained peak winds of 36 mph.

Coastal Glynn, Georgia · Tropical Storm · Jul 7, 22:20 UTC

Chatham County Emergency Management Agency reported numerous trees and powerlines down across the county. One tree fell on a house on Burbank Boulevard and a large tree was reported down on Johnny Mercer Boulevard near the Long Point neighborhood. Other trees were reported down including in the 20 block of Burbank Boulevard, Birchwood Circle, near the intersection of E 40th Street and Lincoln Street, the 1300 block of Seiler Avenue, near the intersection of Berkshire Boulevard and Magnolia Avenue, Burnsed Boulevard, the 7600 block of Laroche Avenue, the 100 block of Camilla, the 700 block of W 49th Street, the 400 block of Linwood Road, Garrard Avenue, and the intersection of Linwood Road and Deerfield Road.

Coastal Chatham, Georgia · Tropical Storm · Jul 8, 03:00 UTC

A National Weather Service (NWS) storm survey team determined that an EF-1 tornado occurred near Edisto Island in Charleston County. The beginning point for the tornado was detected by a NWS drone in a corn field near the end of Sunnyside Mills Road. The tornado had a discontinuous path northward across Store Creek, then across a large corn field, ending near the intersection of Cypress Trees Lane and Highway 174. Along the path, there were many hard and softwood trees snapped and uprooted, particularly near Cypress Trees Lane, and also at a few residences toward the beginning of the path just south of Store Creek. The maximum strength of the tornado was estimated to be EF-1, with peak winds of 95 mph, particularly toward the end of the path just south of Highway 174.

Charleston, South Carolina · Tornado · Jul 8, 05:00 UTC

A National Weather Service (NWS) storm survey team determined that an EF-1 tornado occurred near Awendaw in Charleston County. The tornado touched down in the private community of Wando Farms, where it snapped more than a dozen medium to large pine trees, and snapped large limbs off of very large live oak trees. One resident had the front door of their home blown in. The tornado then moved north, and appears to weaken as it crossed the Wando River and the surrounding marsh area. The tornado then ended near the intersection of Ronlin Farm Road and Woodville Road where it snapped and uprooted several trees around a few homes. The tornado was estimated to be an EF-1, with peak winds of 95 mph, with the highest winds likely near the beginning of the path.

Charleston, South Carolina · Tornado · Jul 8, 06:36 UTC

A supercell associated with Tropical Storm Elsa moved north from the Pamlico Sound into mainland Hyde County during the afternoon. Photo and video showed a tornado of unknown intensity in rural areas of Hyde County. Radar data indicates the tornado moved nearly due north, parallel to Piney Woods Road (Co. Road 1305) on the west side of Lake Mattamuskeet. This was corroborated by witness accounts during the survey. The tornado caused no damage from which the NWS survey team could assign an EF-scale rating; therefore per Directive 10-1605, this tornado has a rating of EFU. Start and ending coordinates and times were estimated via radar.

Hyde, North Carolina · Tornado · Jul 8, 18:53 UTC

As Tropical Storm Elsa moved through southern Virginia, a band of showers and thunderstorms pushed across Isle of Wight County. Within that band of storms, a tornado briefly touched down on the north side of Smithfield. The damage path stretched from Jordan Road to Blounts Corner Road on the other side of the Pagan River. The damage was limited to a few snapped trees and broken limbs. One tree did land on a house.

Isle of Wight, Virginia · Tornado · Jul 8, 23:31 UTC

As Tropical Storm Elsa moved through northeast North Carolina, a band of showers and thunderstorms pushed across the Pasquotank River and Camden county. Within that band of storms, a brief tornado developed as the storms crossed the river and the tornado moved ashore near Sunset Avenue and tracked northeast about 1.3 miles to near Areneuse Creek and Route 343. The tornado snapped numerous trees, ripped the roof off of a boat house on the river, and destroyed an outbuilding when a large pine tree fell on it.

Camden, North Carolina · Tornado · Jul 9, 00:01 UTC

An EF-0 tornado touched down in a residential area along Sycamore Drive in Little Egg Harbor Township. The tornado snapped numerous large tree limbs and snapped a few trees along Sycamore Drive and Harbourtown Boulevard. One small tree was uprooted on Sycamore Drive. Some homes suffered some cosmetic damage along Rosemont Lane and Harbourtown Boulevard where some sections of vinyl fencing were blown over. The tornado continued along Rosemont Lane where numerous tree limbs were down. A residence at the intersection of Rosemont Lane and Vista Court had 2 sections of wooden fencing blown out and tossed approximately 50 feet, striking the rear side of the house. A few houses along Vista Court also sustained some cosmetic damage. The tornado ended at the end of Vista Court where a few trees were snapped or uprooted.

Ocean, New Jersey · Tornado · Jul 9, 07:33 UTC

A mesonet station at Fire Island NY USCG recorded a maximum sustained wind of 39 mph and 47 mph gust at 524 and 526 am LST respectively, while the mesonet at the State Boat Channel recorded a 39 mph maximum sustained wind at 527am, and 47 mph peak wind gust at 847am LST. At Islip McArthur Airport, a 49 mph peak wind gust was recorded at 916am. Peak winds generally ranged from 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 50 mph across the area. These winds combined with saturated grounds resulted in widely scattered downed trees and power outages. In Babylon, tree limbs and wires have been downed at 846am LST.

Southwest Suffolk, New York · Tropical Storm · Jul 9, 10:00 UTC

A mesonet station at Bayville NY recorded a maximum sustained wind of 46 mph and 53 mph gust at 1201 pm LST. Peak winds generally ranged from 30 to 35 mph with gusts to 40 mph across the area. These winds combined with saturated grounds resulted in widely scattered downed trees and power outages. Multiple trees were reported down on the Long Island Railroad Oyster Bay Branch in Oyster Bay NY at 812 am LST, resulting in train service on the line being suspended. In addition, a large tree was downed on a property on Herbert Drive in New Hyde Park at 935 am LST.

Northern Nassau, New York · Tropical Storm · Jul 9, 10:00 UTC

At the CT USCG Academy in New London a maximum sustained wind of 40 mph and peak wind gust of 47 mph was recorded at 1127am and 1136am LST, respectively. At the New London Airport ASOS, a 43 mph wind gust was recorded at 1130am LST. The highest sustained winds generally measured 30 to 40 mph with peak gusts to 50 mph across the area. These winds, combined with heavy rainfall, downed a tree and wires. closing Route 138 Bushnell Hollow Road at Grandview Drive at 917am LST.

Southern New London, Connecticut · Tropical Storm · Jul 9, 10:00 UTC

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A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.

Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.

• Tropical cyclone report, National Hurricane Center
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Best track as KMZ, National Hurricane Center
• Best track as a shapefile, National Hurricane Center
• Wikipedia article: Hurricane Elsa