Tropical Storm Colin spins up off the Carolinas

A weak area of low pressure just off the Southeast coast suddenly became better organized Friday night. It was enough to become Tropical Storm Colin early Saturday.

Colin is not a strong tropical storm with top sustained winds estimated at 40 mph. The center of the storm will stay close to the coast, helping prevent it from becoming better organized. Most of the wind and rain will be to the southeast of its center, meaning that heavy rain and gusty winds in eastern North Carolina will be fairly localized.

Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect from South Santee River, S.C. to Duck, N.C., as well as Pamlico Sound.

Computer forecast guidance also indicates Colin will continue on a northeasterly track, then move back offshore.

Spaghetti models or plots show a series of individual computer forecast models together on one map. They are useful to give insight into whether multiple models agree on the path of the storm, but they do not address the storm’s forecast intensity, winds, flooding and storm surge potential or other data. Tap here for more details on how to best use these models.

We’re also tracking Tropical Storm Bonnie as it enters the Pacific. One other disturbance in the Atlantic basin has a low chance of development within the next five days.

See how the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season has gone so far.