Tropical Storm Colin formed in the Gulf of Mexico late this afternoon. Earlier today Tropical Storm Warnings were issued for the gulf coast of Florida. The storm is expected to make landfall Monday between 6-8 p.m. with 50-60 mph winds between Gainesville and Tallahassee Florida. Once making landfall the storm is expected to skirt the Southeastern US coast, bringing rain and wind to Florida, Georgia and the Carolina’s. Below are the potential impacts from the NWS:
* WIND: PROTECT AGAINST HAZARDOUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE: - MINOR DAMAGE TO FRAME BUILT HOMES, LIMITED PRIMARILY DUE TO LOSS OF ROOF SHINGLES OR GUTTERS AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO PORCHES, AWNINGS, CARPORTS AND SHEDS. SOME MOBILE HOMES DAMAGED. UNSECURED LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECTS BLOWN AROUND. - A FEW TREES UPROOTED, WITH A FEW LARGE LIMBS SNAPPED. - ISOLATED ROAD CLOSURES DUE TO FALLEN DEBRIS, ESPECIALLY IN WOODED AREAS. - ISOLATED POWER AND COMMUNICATION OUTAGES. ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA...LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED.
* SURGE: PROTECT AGAINST LOCALLY HAZARDOUS SURGE HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND COAST IN APALACHEE BAY. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE: - LOCALIZED INUNDATION WITH STORM SURGE FLOODING, MAINLY ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST OR IN LOW LYING AREAS JUST INLAND. HIGHER WAVES MAY LOCALLY INCREASE AREA OF FLOODING. - ISOLATED SECTIONS OF COASTAL HIGHWAYS AND ACCESS ROADS FLOODED, MAKING TRAVELING IN THESE AREAS DANGEROUS DUE TO FLOOD WATERS. - MODERATE BEACH EROSION. - MINOR DAMAGE TO MARINAS, DOCKS, AND PIERS. A FEW SMALL CRAFT NOT SECURED PRIOR TO THE STORM WILL BREAK AWAY FROM MOORINGS. ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED. * FLOODING RAIN: PROTECT AGAINST LOCALLY HAZARDOUS RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE: - LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL MAY RESULT IN FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS, NECESSITATING BASIC PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT VULNERABLE STRUCTURES. - RIVERS AND ASSOCIATED TRIBUTARY CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL RISE AND APPROACH BANKFULL LEVELS. RUNOFF WILL INCREASE WATER LEVELS IN AREA HOLDING PONDS AND DRAINAGE DITCHES, REDUCING STORAGE CAPACITY TO ABSORB FUTURE RAINFALL. - ISOLATED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS WILL MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT. PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AREAS MAY RESULT IN BRIEF ROAD CLOSURES. * TORNADOES: PROTECT AGAINST A TORNADO EVENT HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE: - ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE EXPECTED, RESULTING IN A NOTABLE IMPACT TO AFFECTED COMMUNITIES. - ISOLATED AREAS AFFECTED BY TORNADOES WILL EXPERIENCE MINOR DAMAGE, INCLUDING SOME DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES AND SPORADIC POWER AND COMMUNICATION OUTAGES. - A FEW STRUCTURES WILL BE DAMAGED BY TORNADOES, MAINLY WITH LOSS OF SHINGLES OR SIDING. SOME MOBILE HOMES WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED, ESPECIALLY THOSE UNANCHORED. LARGE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA...LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED. * OTHER COASTAL HAZARDS: STRONG ONSHORE FLOW AND INCREASING SURF WILL RESULT IN A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE FLORIDA BIG BEND COAST...ESPECIALLY ON SAINT GEORGE ISLAND FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY. EVERYONE...INCLUDING EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS AND SURFERS SHOULD REMAIN OUT OF THE WATER.
