Tropical Storm Colin Strengthens As It Nears Florida

[jpak]

Source: CBS News Mew York

Tropical Storm Colin was gaining speed and strength Monday on its way to strike Florida, threatening rains forecasters said could cause some serious flooding along much of the state’s Gulf coast.

A large portion of Florida’s western and Panhandle coast was already under a tropical storm warning when the National Hurricane Center announced that a quickly moving depression had become a named storm. The center said it is the earliest that a third named storm has ever formed in the Atlantic basin.

Colin’s maximum sustained winds Monday morning had increased to near 50 mph with some slow strengthening possible during the next two days. The storm was centered about 360 miles west-southwest of Tampa and moving north-northeast near 14 mph.

Tropical storms carry wind speeds of between 39 mph and 73 mph.

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Read more: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/06/06/tropical-storm-colin/

[rurallib]

1. just got off the phone with some relatives north of Tallahassee

they already have @ 4 inchs if rain with no signs of let up.

[jpak]

2. Rain is the biggest worry with these types of storms

They can dump phenomenal amounts of rain locally.

[cynzke]

4. OUR NEIGHBORS

left yesterday for the Florida panhandle....area they love and spend ALL their vacations at. We are taking care of their pets. No rain, but cloudy here in Georgia. Wonder if this is going to be a spoiler for them.

[cynzke]

5. Sounds like it is going to be a short vacation.

[Phentex]

7. My sister was just there...

They had three semi decent days and the rest were cloudy or rainy. They cut the trip short when they heard about more rain today. It stinks for vacation but that's the way it goes sometimes.

[csziggy]

8. Yeah, we're north east of Tallahassee and that sounds about right

Solid rain all day, sometimes a little lighter than others, but NWS says we got between 4 and 6 in this part of the county. We're just north of the 'LL" in Tallahassee on the radar.

This should link to the storm total rainfall total:
http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=tlh&product=NTP&overlay=11101111&loop=no

The rain has now moved off to the east so the water finally has a chance to drain off.

[The Blue Flower]

3. Just got home from the State Emergency Ops Center in Tallahassee

They're expecting 2-3 days of heavy rain, high tides, 50-60 mph winds. If you're in the storm path, get ready for power outages and flooding. The Red Cross is preparing shelters, so find out where the closest one is for you. (I'm in training to be a Government Liaison volunteer. The response I saw was very impressive. As I was leaving, the governor was there for a region-wide conference call and then a press conference.)

[ChiciB1]

6. I Live South Of Tampa, Right Now There Have Been Strong

wind gusts and heavy rain down pour that last about 30 minutes, stops for about 3-4 hours and another heavy down pour. I've lived in my house for 32 years and something happened today that I've never seen since I've lived here. My neighbor who livers 2 house away had a LARGE pine tree topple over in his back yard!

I live about a mile from the Gulf of Mexico, but NEVER has a hurricane done ANY damage in my area, Even back in 2004 we had 5 hurricanes back to back and we did have a lot of debris clean up and a power outage for 2 days, but nothing drastic. I've shied away from talking about "hurricanes" for quite a few years because we've had none since 2004, didn't want to JINX us because this is the longest lapse of time since I've lived here. According to records in my county the last hurricane that hit here was in 1927 and I'm NOW getting very, very concerned. I've already started stocking up on water even though we do have a well and generators. We are hooked up to city water which will be a factor for those who don't have wells. I started stocking my shelves with non-perishables some time ago mainly because of the economy but was waiting on stocking water. Seems the time has come to get gallon jugs of water. If you live in Florida for any length of time you already know to stay prepared, but right now I'm beginning to feel more anxious than ever before.

The Indians settled in my area a very long time ago and the broad consensus is that they did this because there's a Intra-Coastal waterway running parallel to the Gulf before the land where houses are built. But now we live in a "concrete" world and who knows. I do feel safe here for the most part because this small community hasn't had any huge condominiums or large structures built here. If we should have a hurricane or severe storm this year I think the VERY RICH homes built right "on the Gulf" will be hit first. I'm a little further in back from the Intra-Coastal waterway where people once called "middle class" live, they're right ON The Gulf!

OK, I just got carried away and rambled on and on I see, didn't mean to.