Gov. Rick Scott Declares State of Emergency as Tropical Storm Colin Approaches Florida

— -- Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in advance of Tropical Storm Colin's hitting the state, and residents are preparing for serious flooding throughout the Gulf Coast region.

Colin, which is gaining in speed and strength as it travels in a northeasterly direction, has become the third named storm of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The NHC said it expected the storm to move across portions of Florida and southeastern Georgia early Tuesday morning.

Flooding and other possible effects of climate change have become a critical issue for Floridians in recent years. As sea levels rise and storms intensify, cities flood more often.

Colin is expected to produce 3 to 5 inches of rainfall, with isolated maximums of 8 inches, according to the NHC.