Debby has been officially downgraded by the National Hurricane Center from a tropical storm to a tropical depression as it moves north along the Atlantic Coast.
The storm is causing more intense rain, resulting in flash flooding and several tornadoes in North Carolina. Tornado watches are also in effect from Northern Virginia through New York Friday morning as the storm moves up the coast.
Debby first made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast at the beginning of the week as a Category 1 hurricane. It made a second landfall in South Carolina on Thursday as a tropical storm.
RELATED STORY | What is the difference between a tropical storm and hurricane?
Debby has caused catastrophic flooding, power outages, downed trees, and disrupted travel. The storm has resulted in at least eight deaths this week.
A tornado destroyed a school in Wilson County, North Carolina, southeast of Raleigh, leading to at least one fatality. Another incident involved a tree falling onto a mobile home in Levy County, Florida, resulting in the death of a 13-year-old inside.
Heavy rain will persist as the storm moves through the D.C. area and into Pennsylvania and New York on Friday. The storm is expected to move through New England on Saturday and into Canada by Sunday.
RELATED STORY | NOAA expects ‘extraordinary’ 2024 Atlantic hurricane season