KEY WEST, FLA. (WSVN) - The Florida Keys will just narrowly miss Tropical Storm Elsa’s full power.
At least one business owner in Key West is preparing to shut down.
The city was mostly sunny for parts of Monday morning, but is now experiencing light rain and gusty winds.
On Duval Street, it’s a mad dash to dodge the downpour.
Kelly Diamond from Michigan said the fact that Elsa was on its way to the Keys didn’t dampen their vacation plans.
“No. This is vacation. We knew it when we came,” she said.
Elsa may have shifted to the west, but not enough to leave Key West in the clear.
“We were hoping for sunny skies and being able to go snorkeling and stuff like that,” said Liz Slogh from Indiana.
Now many who paid big bucks for a few days in the Lower Keys during prime travel time will be spending at least some time hunkered in their hotel avoiding Elsa.
“I think we are just going to weather out the storm,” Liz said.
Key West could experience tropical storm-strength winds. We could also see a foot or two of storm surge. But you can tell people here aren’t too worried about flooding. Monday night, there was not a sandbag in sight.
“I’m a Florida local. I lived through Andrew. This is just rain,” said resident Jessica Belcher.
Leave it to a local, to put it all into perspective.
Despite a tropical storm encroaching, the roosters have been running around, planes filled with even more tourists have been landing, and the bars have been open.
But now severe weather is about to roll in, though Elsa isn’t making many regret spending a few days in the Keys.
When asked if he regrets coming down to Florida because of the weather, Jeff Kane from Boston replied, “No, absolutely not. It’s still nice down here either way.”
Most businesses in Monroe County will remain open.
Key West Town Hall will be closed on Tuesday. All bus services in the city have stopped.
The Monroe County School District will keep all schools and offices from Marathon on south closed on Tuesday.
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