MIAMI - At 4 a.m. the center of Tropical Storm Colin was located near latitude 25.2 North, longitude 87.4 West. Colin ismoving toward the north-northeast near 14 mph.

A turn toward the northeast with an increase in forward speed is expected today. A rapid northeastward motion is expected tonight andTuesday. On this track, the center of Colin is forecast to approach the coast of the Florida Big Bend area this afternoon or evening, move across portions of Florida and southeastern Georgia early Tuesday morning, and move near the southeastern coast of the United States later on Tuesday.

Reports from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph with higher gusts. Some additional slow strengthening is possible during the next 48 hours.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles mainly to the east of the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1004 mb or 29.65 inches.