CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tropical Storm Elsa has now officially claimed the royal crown for the earliest E name ever recorded.
For the second straight year, the earliest fifth named storm record has been claimed. Elsa formed four days earlier than last year's Edouard who also forced 2005’s Emily to Let it Go from the record books.
Elsa as of July 2, has become the first hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
This is the first time we have ever had a tropical system named Elsa. There are six lists of hurricane names that recycle every six years. Elsa replaced Tropical Storm Erika who was retired in 2015 due to its historic flooding and casualties in the Caribbean island of Dominica.
Erika is one of 4 ‘E’ names that have been retired.
Other 5th storms of the season that now live in the history books are Elena, Eloise and Edna.
Elena was a major category 3 hurricane that made landfall in Mississippi in 1985
Eloise made landfall in the Florida Panhandle in 1975 that killed a total of 80 people along its path
And Edna was a major hurricane in 1954 that moved into New England just 11 days after Hurricane Carol which was also retired. This was also the costliest hurricane in the history of Maine.
All four retired ‘E’ names happened in late August and September which is closer to the peak of hurricane season.
SIDE NOTE: Hurricane Eta was also retired last year but even though it begins with the letter E it was not the 5th storm of the season like the others mentioned but rather the 28th.
While Elsa is not expected to become a major hurricane, it already has a place in the history books before it makes landfall and goes into the unknown.
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