Breaking News: Game 5 may be postponed today due to severe weather in Tampa

The National Weather Service has issued a Hurricane warning for the Tampa area.

With under 10 hours until puck drop of game five between the Lightning and Canadiens, there’s a possibility that the NHL could move the game to a different date depending on how the storm effects the Tampa area.

Tropical Storm Elsa is continuing to gaining strength, and is expected to make landfall on the west coast of Florida in the next few hours while also potentially being upgraded to hurricane status.

Elsa’s center, with sustained winds of 65 mph, was about 35 miles west of Cedar Key on Florida’s northwest coast as of about 8 a.m. ET

As the storm continues to make its way towards Florida, it’s expected that it will become a category 1 hurricane.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Associated Press: “[We] will continue to monitor and make a call when we have to. We do have an amount of flexibility.”

The storm has made events outside the arena challenging for Game 5 of the series. The team may have to cancel a sold-out viewing party outside of the arena, although that call will be made on Wednesday. The NHL already cancelled a musical act it had scheduled for an outdoor event before Game 5.

No statement as of Wednesday by the NHL so far…..