Weakening Elsa makes landfall but Florida spared significant damage

Cranes cross the road during a rainstorm from Tropical Storm Elsa (Tampa Bay Times/AP)

A weakened Tropical Storm Elsa dumped rain across Florida’s northern Gulf Coast but appears to have spared the state significant damage and widespread power outages.

Elsa wobbled through the Gulf of Mexico, briefly reaching hurricane strength, but moved ashore as a tropical storm, the US National Hurricane Centre said Wednesday in its 11am advisory.