Elsa strengthened into the first hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic storm season on Friday as it battered the eastern Caribbean, where officials closed schools, businesses and airports.

The storm is forecast to impact Florida early next week and officials are urging residents there to make preparations.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday said he is putting together a potential emergency order as Elsa approaches, adding that id South Florida could see tropical-storm-force winds as soon as Sunday night. 

Sustained winds were near 85 mph, making the storm a Category 1 hurricane, according to the 8 p.m. EDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center. Elsa was located 475 miles east-southeast of Isla Beata in the Dominican Republic, moving west-northwest at