Colin is expected to be off the coast of Hatteras by Tuesday afternoon, and if a northeast trajectory continues the storm will move clear of the U.S. East coast. The water could reach the following heights above ground if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.Indian Pass to Tampa Bay.1 to 3 ft with slightly higher amounts possible in a few locations.Tampa Bay south to Florida Bay.1 to 2 ft.Localized coastal flooding and unsafe surf are possible along the Atlantic coast from Florida to North Carolina within the tropical storm warning area.
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ABC News’ Meteorologist Max Golembo said Colin quickly moved northeast through northern Florida between Tallahassee and Jacksonville at more than 20 miles per hour.
On Monday, Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for more than half the counties in Florida Monday as Tropical Storm Colin headed toward the Big Bend area of the state.
With Tropical Storm Colin expected to cross Florida overnight, that morning glass of orange juice is getting costly.
Michael Shook, surfer, said, “Not too bad, we looked at the camera this morning and it wasn’t too windy and not too bad of a current”.
The third named system of the 2016 Hurricane season, Colin is speeding out to sea further and faster than forecasters originally expected, rapidly losing its tropical status in the process.
Residents were caught in the storm’s path as high wind gusts, rain and thunderstorms swept across many parts of the state, including the Gulf Coast region.
It says the storm’s maximum sustained winds were around 50 miles per hour (85 kph) with higher gusts and it is moving to the northeast at 23 miles per hour (37 kph).
Colin is expected to produce 3 to 6 inches of rain across western to northern Florida, southeast Georgia and coast areas of the Carolinas through Tuesday. About 50 people were in the water with surfboards off Treasure Island on Monday to take advantage of the rare 2 to 3-foot swells breaking in the Gulf’s warm waters.
“The marsh does what it’s supposed to do naturally – it drains and floods like it has done for a million years”, Cutting said Tuesday.
Severe weather could affect North Carolina’s Outer Banks for several hours more and bring more rainfall to drenched Florida.
Tropical Storm Colin may be the earliest “C” storm on record, indicating an active start to this year’s hurricane season, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re in for a wild – or calm – ride.
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge remains closed due to high winds.
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“Worried, no”, she said.
