Tropical Storm Colin Forms, Continues Toward Florida

TAMPA BAY, Fla. — Tampa Bay area residents are in for a bumpy ride as a newly formed Tropical Storm Colin makes its way northward over the next day or so.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm was located about 460 miles southwest of Tampa as of Sunday evening. The forecast track shows the center of the storm approaching the Big Bend area sometime Monday afternoon. Colin is the earliest third-named storm on record in the Atlantic basin, the hurricane center said.

As of Sunday evening, the storm had maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph with some strengthening expected. With that in mind, the hurricane center has issued a tropical storm warning from Indian Pass to Englewood. A warning means tropical storm conditions are anticipated within the specified area.

“Tropical storm conditions are expected to first reach the coast within the warning area by Monday afternoon,” the hurricane center wrote on its Facebook page. Rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches with “isolated maximum totals of 8 inches” are possible.

Forecasters are also warning “the combination of the storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters,” the weather service said. Waters could reach 1 to 3 feet in the area from Indian Pass to Tampa Bay and between 1 to 2 feet from Tampa Bay south to Florida Bay.

The Tampa Bay area hasn’t been struck by a hurricane in more than 90 years. The last major storm to come close to the region was Hurricane Charley back in August 2004. That Category 4 storm ripped through Charlotte County, leaving four people dead and an estimated 11,000 homes damaged.

While Tampa Bay has been lucky, experts say the streak isn’t likely to last. It’s not a question of if, but when, forecasters say.

To get ready, residents are urged to create their own emergency kits, including food and water for at least three days. They should also know their evacuation routes, have their renter's or homeowner’s insurance documents handy and should have a plan on where to go and what to do if a storm strikes.

To find out more about hurricane season and storm preparation, read these related Patch stories:

• Hurricane Season 2016: Where To Find Local Information
• 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast Released
• Hurricane Season: How to Prepare
• Tampa Bay 'Ripe for Disaster,' Hurricane Experts Say

To keep up with storm activity as the season develops, bookmark the National Hurricane Center’s website and keep an eye on your hometown Patch site for local information.

Graphic courtesy of the National Hurricane Center