The Latest: Tropical Storm Colin speeds toward Florida | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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The Latest: Tropical Storm Colin speeds toward Florida

Texas Game Wardens boat search Belton Lake, Friday, June 3, 2016, where Owl Creek feeds into it for four missing soldiers from U.S Army's Fort Hood that were swept away in a low water crossing during training when the Army vehicle they were in was swept away on Thursday. Five soldiers were killed, four are still missing and three were rescued on Thursday. (Rodolfo Gonzalez/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Original Publication Date June 05, 2016 - 8:45 AM

MIAMI - The Latest on severe weather across the United States (all times local):

11 p.m. (EDT)

The National Hurricane Center says that Tropical Storm Colin is continuing to gather strength and speed and is expected to approach the coast of the Florida Big Bend on Monday afternoon or evening.

As of Sunday evening the storm was about 450 miles (720 km) southwest of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour (65 km).

Forecasters say Colin is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches with up to 8 inches possible in western Florida, eastern Georgia, and coastal areas of the Carolinas through Tuesday.

A few tornadoes are possible on Monday across portions of Florida and far southern Georgia.

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6 p.m. (EDT)

The National Hurricane Center says that Tropical Storm Colin has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is predicted to land in Florida.

Forecasters upgraded the storm from a tropical depression to a tropical storm just before 6 p.m. Sunday. That means Colin has sustained winds of at least 39 mph.

The storm is expected to dump flooding rains on Florida's Gulf coast when it hits on Monday before quickly passing through to the Atlantic.

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5 p.m. (EDT)

The National Weather Service says a tornado touched down in eastern Indiana when a weekend storm passed over the area.

The weather service's Wilmington, Ohio, office said Sunday that a tornado with wind speeds of up to 85 mph cut a 1 1/4 mile path Saturday near Richmond, Indiana. No one was injured by the EF0 tornado, which is the weakest tornado designation the weather service assigns. The Richmond Palladium-Item reports (http://pinews.co/25Hl8PL ) the storm downed trees and tore a roof from a barn.

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3:45 p.m. (EDT)

The National Weather Service is warning of an "enhanced" risk of severe storms in the mid-Atlantic region.

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for much of the area east of the Blue Ridge Mountains through Sunday night. The weather service tweets that there are reports of trees and wires down in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Sterling, Virginia-based meteorologist Chris Strong says the primary threat in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area is from damaging wind gusts and there's a lesser tornado threat.

Wakefield, Virginia-based meteorologist Lyle Alexander says the threat on the Eastern Shore is from winds and more localized heavy rain.

Mount Holly, New Jersey-based meteorologist Lance Franck says in Delaware the threat is from high winds and downpours bringing flooding to urban areas and areas with poor drainage.

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2 p.m. (CDT)

Authorities have found a body downstream from where they'd been searching for a missing 11-year-old boy who fell into a flooded Kansas creek.

The Wichita Eagle reports (http://j.mp/25Hr7UP ) that Wichita police Deputy Chief Hassan Ramzah says the body was found Saturday by a kayaker. Ramzah couldn't confirm the identity of the body, other than to say it was a male.

Officials say Devon Dean Cooley fell into Gypsum Creek on May 27. Crews have continued searching for the boy, and say the unidentified body was found about a mile downstream from the search area.

Cooley's family issued a statement late Saturday saying they believe the body to be Devon's but also acknowledging the absence of official confirmation.

Police say the body likely won't be identified until a coroner's investigation is completed.

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2:40 p.m.

The last day of a music festival scheduled to include Kanye West and Death Cab for Cutie among the performers is cancelled because of weather concerns.

The organizers of the Governors Ball said events on Sunday weren't going to be held "due to severe weather and a high likelihood of lightning in the area." Strong winds and thunderstorms were predicted for the area through Sunday night.

The annual event is held on Randall's Island in New York City and usually goes for three days. Among those who performed on Friday and Saturday were Elle King, the Strokes, Beck, Miguel and De La Soul.

Organizers said ticket holders would be getting refunds.

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1:15 p.m.

Southern Arizona could see record high temperatures again.

The National Weather Service says if Phoenix hits 114 degrees on Sunday, it will mark the third day in a row setting record high temperatures in Arizona's Urban Heart.

Much of Southern Arizona, from Phoenix to Nogales, is under an excessive heat warning.

Other western and southwestern U.S. states are experiencing above-normal temperatures in the triple-digits.

Officials are warning residents to stay hydrated and avoid the outdoors between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when temperatures are highest.

The Arizona Department of Health also says that neither people nor pets should be left in cars. It takes only 10 minutes for a car to reach deadly temperatures.

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11:40 a.m.

Fort Hood officials have identified the last of nine soldiers who died in Texas floodwaters during a training exercise as a 25-year-old Army specialist from California.

Army officials said Sunday that Spc. Yingming Sun enlisted in 2013 and first arrived at Fort Hood nearly two years ago.

He and eight others who were identified Saturday died when fast-moving waters washed a 2 1/2-ton vehicle from a low-water crossing Thursday. Three others soldiers survived and have returned to duty.

Heavy and persistent storms the past two weeks have dumped more than a foot of rain in parts of Texas. The rain is expected to diminish this week and dry out areas in southeast Texas, where officials gave evacuation order to about 2,000 homes.

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11:30 a.m.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for a large stretch of Florida's Gulf coast from Indian Pass in the northern Panhandle to Englewood south of Tampa.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued the warning before noon EDT Sunday. Tropical storm conditions — including heavy rain and strong wind — are expected to reach the area under the warning by Monday afternoon.

The storm — moving north at about 8 mph (13 kph) — is expected to become a tropical storm before reaching the Florida coast. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 kph).

Isolated tornadoes are possible Monday afternoon in parts of Florida and southern Georgia.

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Hurricane officials say a storm in the northwestern Caribbean Sea could develop into a tropical storm before hitting Florida with flooding rain.

The National Hurricane Center said a hurricane hunter plane will investigate the storm near Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula Sunday afternoon. It already contained thunderstorms and near tropical storm strength winds.

There is a 90 per cent chance the weather system could develop into a tropical depression or named storm by Sunday night or Monday morning.

Regardless of development, heavy rains and flooding are expected in the Yucatan Peninsula, western Cuba, the Florida Keys and Florida's Gulf Coast over the next few days.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott planned a briefing with state emergency management officials Sunday afternoon.

Sand bags were being distributed to residents in St. Petersburg, Tampa and nearby cities.

News from © The Associated Press, 2016
The Associated Press

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