TROPICAL STORM COLIN FORMS WITH FLORIDA IN ITS PATH! (credit: NWS Melbourne, Florida

DISCUSSION: As the low-level circulation and deep convection associated with Tropical Depression Three continued to become increasingly more organized through the morning and early afternoon hours, aircraft reconnaissance data coupled with the analysis of the real-time satellite imagery provided sufficient evidence for forecasters at the NWS National Hurricane Center to upgrade Tropical Depression Three to Tropical Storm Colin.  The naming of Tropical Storm Colin marks the official recognition of third named tropical storm in 2016.  Interestingly, it is somewhat early from a climatological/statistical standpoint for the third named storm to form but nonetheless it now exists and it is currently moving to the northeast across the Central Gulf of Mexico!  Being as though it has its sights set on Central and Northern Florida, there is a threat for heavy rainfall (and subsequent flooding and/or flash flooding conditions along with gusty winds and even an isolated waterspout or tornado as stronger segments of the associated spiral rainbands move onshore along the shores of Western to Northern Florida and points inland as well! Stay tuned for more updates right here at the Global Weather and Climate Center for more information on Tropical Storm Colin later today and tomorrow!  To learn more about other high-impact weather across the United States, be sure to click here!