Thomas also had this thing as a storm for days too. Here is what he had to say at noon today:

I just reviewed the latest visible, IR and water vapor satellite imagery loops and other raw synoptic weather data. We still have a low level circulation and even more convection today then yesterday. But we do have some WSW wind shearing.
In my 31+ year weather forecasting career judgment, we not only have had T.D. #14 in the western GOM for a couple of days, we now T.S. Matthew.

And here is what he said as of 4 pm today:

Yes T.C. Matthew is a threat to Florida. I've been banging this war drum since Saturday September 25, 2004 and will continue. Right now I'm calling the disturbance in the SW Gulf Of Mexico Tropical Storm Matthew, even though the NHC/TPC is still not even identifying it as a tropical depression.

My initial probable landfall was Panama City BUT as far east as Cedar Key is possible as a CAT 1 hurricane. As a matter of fact depending on just how the steering pattern hammers out, the whole west coast of Florida north of Naples must watch and prepare for a possible hurricane strike early next week.

Thomas F. Giella
Retired Space & Atmospheric Weather Forecaster
Plant City, FL