Elsa downgraded to Tropical Storm

Hurricane Elsa has been downgraded to a Tropical Storm.

Its wind speed fell to 70 miles per hour as it started to affect Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

According to the latest bulletin from the US National Hurricane Center, the storm is not projected to regain hurricane strength, which requires wind speed of at least 74 miles per hour.

The storm's forecast cone remains just west of South Florida, but some models still show it striking the region.

The National Hurricane Center said there's unusual uncertainty in the long-term track.

At 11 o'clock, Tropical Storm Elsa moving at a blazing forward speed of 29 miles per hour, was located 40 miles southeast of Isla Beata, Dominican Republic, and 350 miles east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.

 Tropical storm force winds extend 125 miles from the center.