Tropical Depression Three has developed in the southern Gulf of Mexico and is now officially Tropical Storm Colin.
Colin is the earliest third (C letter) tropical storm to form on record in the Atlantic basin.
Tropical Storm Warnings have been issued for portions of Florida. There is an Enhanced Risk of severe thunderstorms in parts of the eastern United States today and into Tomorrow.
Scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms are expected from the Gulf Coast to New England this afternoon through Monday morning as a low pressure system tracks east through the Appalachians and into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states.
[READ NEXT: New York City Area Under Severe Thunderstorm Watch]
Daytime heating combined with the very humid airmass pooled over the Mid-Atlantic region will help aid in the development of strong to severe thunderstorms. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted an area of a slight risk from Georgia to New York, with an enhanced risk from North Carolina to southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Some of these storms will also have the potential to produce periods of heavy rainfall, which will increase the threat for flash flooding. Excessive rainfall will be possible for the Northeast and northern Mid-Atlantic through Monday morning.
Slightly cooler and drier air will return to portions of the East Coast after the system and secondary cold front passes through. Showers and thunderstorms will be possible across the Southeast and southern Mid-Atlantic through midweek as the southern flank of the cold front stalls.
Additionally, Tropical Storm Three is forecast to track north and east from the eastern Gulf of Mexico to offshore Virginia in the western Atlantic Ocean. Much of Florida will experience intense periods of rainfall with the Tropical Storm – 4 to 6 inches possible with isolated amounts up to 8 inches over the next few days. High pressure over the West has allowed temperatures to be much warmer than average for the first week of June.
Temperatures will trend cooler as a Pacific cold front makes its way across the Northwest states Monday afternoon and across the Intermountain West/Great Basin on Tuesday. Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms will spread across the Intermountain region as the systems advances eastward.
