TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tropical Storm Debby has intensified into a Category 1 hurricane and is nearing Florida.
Experts at the National Hurricane Center in Miami announced on Sunday evening that the hurricane has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph). It was positioned about 100 miles west southwest of Tampa and was moving north at 12 mph (19 kph).
Debby marks the fourth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season following Tropical Storm Alberto, Hurricane Beryl, and Tropical Storm Chris, all of which developed in June.
Authorities caution that the heavy rainfall from Debby could lead to disastrous flooding in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story is as follows.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tropical Storm Debby was quickly intensifying on Sunday and was forecasted to become a hurricane as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida, bringing heavy rain bands to the state and posing the risk of severe floods to the southeastern Atlantic coast later in the week.
The storm is projected to escalate into a strong Category 1 hurricane before making landfall around midday Monday in the Big Bend area of Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. A tornado watch is also in place for parts of Florida and Georgia until 6 a.m. Monday.
“Currently, we are in the process of securing everything to prevent them from floating away,” stated Sheryl Horne, whose family owns the Shell Island Fish Camp along the Wakulla River in St. Marks, Florida, where some customers relocated their boats inland. The Big Bend region was affected by Hurricane Idalia last year, which arrived as a Category 3 hurricane.
“I am accustomed to storms and cleaning up after them,” Horne added.
Debby is anticipated to head eastward over northern Florida and then linger over the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina, bringing potentially record-breaking rains of up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) starting on Tuesday. Officials also warned of life-threatening storm surge along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with 6 to 10 feet of inundation expected Monday between the Ochlockonee and Suwannee rivers.
“There are incredible rainfall totals being predicted, incredibly bad,” Michael Brennan, director of the hurricane center, stated during a briefing. “If we reach the 30-inch level, it would be record-breaking rainfall associated with a tropical cyclone for both Georgia and South Carolina.”
The impact of flooding could persist until Friday and is likely to be particularly severe in low-lying areas near the coast, including Savannah, Georgia; Hilton Head, South Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina. North Carolina authorities were keeping an eye on the storm’s progress.
Officials in Savannah mentioned that the area might witness a month’s worth of rain in four days if the system stalls over the region.
“This will be a significant storm. The term historic cannot be stressed enough here,” mentioned Savannah Mayor Van. R. Johnson during a press conference.
The hurricane center, in an update at 8 p.m., reported that Debby was located around 100 miles (161 kilometers) west of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (113 kph). The storm was moving north at 12 mph (19 kph). Tropical storm force winds extended up to 140 miles (225 kilometers) from the center.
Debby’s outer bands brushed the west coast of Florida, causing flooding on the streets and power outages. Sarasota County officials reported that most roadways on Siesta Key, a barrier island off the coast of Sarasota, were submerged. The hurricane center had anticipated that the system would strengthen as it veered off the southwest Florida coast, where the water was unusually warm.
During an afternoon briefing on Sunday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis cautioned that the storm could result in “significant flooding that will occur in North Central Florida.”
He noted that it would follow a similar path to Hurricane Idalia but would “be much wetter. We will experience much more inundation.”
Debby is the fourth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season following Tropical Storm Alberto, Hurricane Beryl, and Tropical Storm Chris, all of which emerged in June.
A hurricane warning was issued for parts of the Big Bend and the Florida Panhandle, while tropical storm warnings were issued for Florida’s West Coast, the southern Florida Keys, and Dry Tortugas. A tropical storm watch was extended farther west into the Panhandle.
Tropical storms and hurricanes can lead to river flooding, overwhelm drainage systems, and canals. Forecasters warned of 6 to 12 inches (15 centimeters to 30 centimeters) of rain and up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) in isolated areas of Florida.
Storm surge expected to hit Gulf Coast, including Tampa Bay
Flat Florida is prone to flooding even on sunny days, and the storm was predicted to bring a surge of 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters) along most of the Gulf Coast, including Tampa Bay, with a storm tide of up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) north of there in the sparsely populated Big Bend region.
Forecasters cautioned of “a danger of life-threatening storm surge inundation” in a region that includes Hernando Beach, Crystal River, Steinhatchee, and Cedar Key. Officials in Citrus and Levy counties issued a mandatory evacuation of coastal areas, while those in Hernando, Manatee, Pasco, and Taylor counties recommended voluntary evacuations. Shelters opened in those and some other counties.
Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast estimated that 21,000 people reside in the evacuation zone of his county.
Residents, businesses prepare for flooding
Residents in Steinhatchee, Florida, which experienced flooding during Hurricane Idalia, spent Sunday moving items to higher ground.
“I’ve been here for 29 years. This is not the first time I’ve done this. Do you get used to it? No,” remarked Mark Reblin as he moved items out of the liquor store he owns.
Employees of Savannah Canoe and Kayak in Georgia stated that they were busy securing their watercraft, laying sandbags, and elevating equipment off the ground. Mayme Bouy, the store manager, mentioned that she was not overly concerned about the forecast for a potential historic rain event.
“But we do have some high tides this week, so if the rain coincides with that, it could be problematic,” Bouy added. “I’d rather err on the side of caution.”
Governors declare emergencies ahead of the landfall
DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 of Florida’s 67 counties, with the National Guard mobilizing 3,000 guard members. Utility crews from both in and out of state were prepared to restore power after the storm, as mentioned in a post on X. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster also issued their own emergency declarations.
In Tampa alone, officials distributed over 30,000 sandbags to guard against flooding.
“We have cleared out our stormwater drains. We have checked and filled our generators. We are doing everything necessary to be prepared for a tropical storm,” stated Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.
Northeast coast also preparing for storm conditions
Emergency managers in New England and New York were already monitoring the storm’s path for the possibility of remnants hitting their states. States like New York and Vermont have been affected by heavy rain and thunderstorms in recent weeks and are still dealing with flooding and saturated ground.
Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama. Jake Offenhartz contributed from New York.
