Sunshine Sentinel

Officials in Florida have urged residents to be hurricane ready as they keep an eye on a tropical storm headed towards the state in early-July forcing the Sunshine State to gear up for the 2021 hurricane season.

Elsa became the first hurricane in the Atlantic this year, according to Accuweather. 

"We are continuing to closely monitor #Elsa," Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote in a July 4 tweet. "All Floridians should prepare for the possibility of heavy rain, flooding and potential power outages. Now is the time to restock your supplies and review your hurricane plan. Follow @FLSERT for updates throughout the coming days."

Elsa was since downgraded to a tropical storm, but still initiated tropical storm warnings for the entire west coast of Florida and parts of the Florida Keys with winds greater than 39 miles per hour expected according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Accuweather reported Elsa became the earliest e-named hurricane in the Atlantic on July 1, beating the previous July 6 record set last year. 

The State of Florida keeps a comprehensive list of things you may need in case you lose power or are trapped due to a storm.  These items include: non-perishable food, water, first-aid kit, flashlights with extra batteries, etc.