MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Debby rapidly intensified on Sunday and was projected to strengthen into a hurricane as it tracked through the Gulf of Mexico towards Florida. This brought the potential for severe flooding to the southeast Atlantic coast later in the week.
Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami stated that the storm was likely to reach Category 1 hurricane status before reaching land in the Big Bend region of Florida on Monday.
After making landfall, Debby was anticipated to move east across northern Florida before stalling over the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina. This situation could lead to historic rainfall and possibly catastrophic flooding, expected to begin on Tuesday and persist through Friday, according to meteorologist Dwight Koehn of the National Weather Service in Charleston, South Carolina.
The potential for severe flooding was particularly high in low-lying coastal areas such as Savannah, Georgia; Hilton Head, South Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina, he warned.
As of the 11 a.m. update on Sunday, Debby was situated approximately 130 miles west-southwest of Tampa, Florida, and 160 miles south-southwest of Cedar Key, Florida, moving north-northwest at 13 mph with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, increased from 50 mph just hours earlier.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expressed concerns in a Sunday morning briefing, urging residents to prepare for a potentially powerful hurricane and emphasized the likelihood of heavy rainfall, flooding, and power outages.
Precautionary measures were being taken to mitigate power outages, including the placement of flood control devices at utility stations for the first time, DeSantis mentioned.
Meanwhile, strong winds and thunderstorms were affecting a wide area from southern Florida and the Florida Keys to the Bahamas.
Debby is the fourth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, following Tropical Storm Alberto, Hurricane Beryl, and Tropical Storm Chris, all occurring in June.
The National Hurricane Center anticipated Debby to intensify as it turned off the southwest coast of Florida, benefiting from the warm waters in the region.
Hurricane and tropical storm warnings were issued for parts of the Big Bend and Florida Panhandle, with tropical storm warnings posted for Florida’s West Coast, the southern Florida Keys, and Dry Tortugas. A tropical storm watch extended farther into the Panhandle. These warnings and watches indicated the potential for storm conditions within the specified timeframes.
Tropical storms and hurricanes have the potential to trigger river flooding, overwhelm drainage systems and canals, and lead to significant rainfall and flooding. Forecasters warned of 6 to 12 inches of rain and up to 18 inches in isolated areas, which could result in flash and urban flooding. Moderate flooding was also expected for some rivers along Florida’s West Coast.
Storm surge expected to impact Gulf Coast, including Tampa Bay
Due to Florida’s low-lying landscape, flooding can occur even on clear days. The storm was expected to generate a surge of 2 to 4 feet along most of the Gulf Coast, including Tampa Bay, with a potential storm tide of up to 7 feet in the Big Bend region.
Forecasters warned of life-threatening storm surge inundation in areas like Hernando Beach, Crystal River, Steinhatchee, and Cedar Key. Mandatory evacuations were ordered in Citrus and Levy counties, with voluntary evacuations in Hernando, Manatee, Pasco, and Taylor counties. Shelters were opened in these and other counties.
Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast estimated that 21,000 people were in the county’s evacuation zone. With memories of the Hurricane Idalia storm surge rescues last year, Prendergast expressed hopes of avoiding a similar situation with Debby.
Preparations for flooding were in full swing, with a state of emergency declared in 61 of Florida’s 67 counties and the National Guard activating 3,000 members. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp also issued an emergency proclamation.
The White House confirmed federal and Florida officials were coordinating, with FEMA pre-positioning resources like water and food. In Tampa, over 30,000 sandbags were distributed to prevent flooding.
Due to the approaching storm, crews secured floating cranes from a bridge construction project across Tampa Bay. Additional precautions were taken, such as anchoring barges and cranes and laying down cranes on land.
For some, the name Debby evokes memories of the 2012 tropical storm of the same name, which caused significant losses and fatalities. The storm brought torrential rains, including up to 29 inches in some areas south of Tallahassee.
