Gov. Declares State Of Emergency Ahead Of Colin's Arrival
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) - As Tropical Storm Colin takes aim at the state's Big Bend area, Florida Governor Rick Scott is urging locals to prepare.
"This is pretty early to have three name storms so everyone has got to take this seriously," said Scott. "Every family has got to do their part."
On Monday, Gov. Scott declared a state of emergency in 34 counties within the state of Florida in preparation for Colin. This allows state government officials to implement emergency plans, where needed. Neither Miami-Dade nor Broward County are under a state of emergency.
Forecasters said the worst of the tropical storm will impact cities from Tampa north into the Panhandle.
Daniel Brown, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, says strong wind shear and the system's poor organization make it unlikely that Colin will strengthen before reaching Florida's coastline.
Monday morning Colin's maximum sustained winds had increased to near 50 mph with some slow strengthening possible during the next two days.
"It's going to impact most of the state in some way," said Scott. "Hopefully we won't have any significant issues here, but we can have some storm surge, some rain, tornadoes and some flooding."
A large portion of the state'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.
The center of Colin is expected to approach the coast of the Florida Big Bend area Monday afternoon or evening, forecasters said.
Scott warned residents not to simply look at the center of the storm, saying the heaviest rain will be to the east and west of it.
Scott postponed a political meeting with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump scheduled Monday in New York so he can remain in the state capital to monitor the weather.
Colin is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches and forecasters said up to 8 inches possible across western Florida, eastern Georgia, and coastal areas of the Carolinas through Tuesday.
Sand bags have been distributed to residents in St. Petersburg, Tampa and nearby cities.
Schools in Pinellas and Pasco Counties are closing early Monday. MacDill Air Force Base operated only with essential personnel, and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was closed about 11 a.m.
Some Tampa Bay area high school seniors will have to wait a little longer to receive their high school diplomas, thanks to Tropical Storm Colin.
Hillsborough County Public Schools announced Monday that the graduation ceremonies for Tampa Bay Tech and Durant high schools have been postponed because of the threat of bad weather.
Tampa Bay Tech students will now graduate on Wednesday night, and Durant students will graduate on Thursday. Both ceremonies will take place at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa.
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