The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is forecasting that the storm will track into northwestern Florida, around Perry and Cross City sometime Monday afternoon. The Associated Press is reporting the storm is expected to race across northern Florida on Monday night moving into the southeastern Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday.
In its 10 a.m. advisory, the NHC placed the storm in the southern Gulf of Mexico near the Yucatan Peninsula. The storm is tracking to the north, northeast at 8.0 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. It already contains thunderstorms and near tropical strength winds.
A tropical storm advisory has been issued for the Gulf coast of Florida from Indian Pass to Englewood. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb (29.68 inches). The storm is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Colin.
AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski says the NHC is sending out a hurricane hunter plane this afternoon. But regardless of the information provided in the update, Florida can expect a total of 4-8 inches of rain in the corridor from Fort Myers and Tampa to Jacksonville and Tallahassee and northward to Savannah, Georgia.
The National Hurricane Center uses several technologies in tracking weather systems, including satellite and radar imagery, aircraft Reconnaissance, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NHC also encourages public interest with detailed online interactive mapping tools and other databases.