Thousands Without Power In Tampa Bay As Tropical Storm Colin Approaches

TAMPA BAY, FL — A number of Tampa Bay area residents were without power Monday afternoon as bands from Tropical Storm Colin began to arrive in the region.

Duke Energy had about 3,700 customers without power in Pinellas County and nearly 200 in Hillsborough County. TECO also had more than 4,000 customers without power in Hillsborough County. Both companies announced on their outage pages they were investigating. It is unclear exactly when power will be restored.

As of Monday at 11 a.m., forecasters at the National Hurricane Center placed the storm about 285 miles west-southwest of Tampa. The storm is anticipated to arrive in the Big Bend area in the afternoon or evening hours Monday.

Tropical storm warnings have been issued from Indian Pass to Englewood. The storm’s maximum sustained winds were near 50 mph Monday morning with little change in strength expected during the day Monday.

See Also:

• Power Outages: How To Report Them In Tampa Bay
• Tropical Storm Colin Edges Toward Florida

While the Tampa Bay area is expected to escape a direct hit from the storm, forecasters are bracing for heavy rains, increased tornado risk and the potential of high tides 1 to 3 feet above normal in the region. The entire Tampa Bay area has also been placed under a flood watch until early Tuesday morning.

Patch file photo