Editor’s Note: The news about Hurricane Debby for Sunday, August 4, is summarized on this page. View the For live updates file for Monday, August 5 for the most recent information on the storm.
By late Sunday, Debby had intensified into a hurricane and was making her way toward Florida’s Big Bend. She might bring with her life-threatening storm surge and, by the end of the week, possibly 30 inches of rain in some areas of the Southeast. Display less
The National Hurricane Center reported late Sunday that Debby, which developed on Saturday and became the fourth named storm of the season, has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane. The storm’s maximum sustained winds of 75 mph are situated approximately 100 miles to the west-northwest of Tampa, Florida.
The National Hurricane Center reported that the hurricane was traveling northward at a speed of roughly 12 miles per hour, driven by the warm waters of the Gulf. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the center, while hurricane force winds reach up to 45 miles from the center.
The National Hurricane Center’s senior hurricane specialist, Richard Pasch, issued a public advisory stating that there was a “life-threatening situation” and that “this potentially historic rainfall may result in areas of catastrophic flooding.”
Residents of Florida were preparing for the first hurricane to hit the state this year, in what could turn out to be one of the worst seasons on record, according to forecasters. In several counties, mandatory evacuations were being issued prior to Debby. Tallahassee’s home county, Leon County, was establishing six shelters in local schools.
Debby poses a multi-state threat because, following a landfall in Florida, it will take a leisurely, soaking stroll through the Southeast due to a lack of strong steering currents in the atmosphere. The director of the hurricane center, Michael Brennan, predicted on Sunday that the storm would “slow to a crawl after landfall.”
The Florida National Guard and Florida State Guard have been activated to support humanitarian assistance and search and rescue operations, according to a statement made by Governor Ron DeSantis on Sunday. He issued a warning that dangers like tornadoes, storm surges, and strong winds could arrive before landfall, even outside of the predicted “cone.” According to him, sustained winds might reach 95 mph.
Declaring a state of emergency over the entire state of Florida, President Joe Biden gave the Federal Emergency Management Agency the go-ahead to organize relief efforts with the aim of “reducing the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population.”
∎ The National Weather Services issued a series of flash flood warnings. Warnings are in effect for Manatee and Western Sarasota counties until 11:30 p.m.; Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas have warnings until 11:15 p.m.
∎ NWS officials issued a tornado watch for much of Northern Florida and Southeast Georgia Sunday evening. The watch covers an area where nearly 12 million people live and is in effect until 6 a.m. Monday. The Storm Prediction Center shared reports of six tornadoes across Florida by around 11 p.m. Sunday.
∎ Nearly 2,000 flights had been canceled and close to 6,300 were delayed as of 5 p.m. ET, according to flight tracking site FlightAware. American Airlines and JetBlue saw the highest cancellation numbers among major carriers, both scrapping 17% of their schedules.
∎ Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Elation rescheduled its return to Jacksonville for Sunday, rather than Monday as planned. The ship departed from the Florida city for a Bahamas cruise on Thursday, according to CruiseMapper.
∎ South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Sunday afternoon ahead of any potential impact by Debby. He warned that heavy rainfall early in the week could bring flash foods and that residents should begin storm preparations immediately.
∎ The number of power outages reported throughout Florida climbed to over 75,000 by 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, according to outage tracker. Over 15% of customers in Levy County reported outages.
Debby aims for Florida’s Big Bend
The hurricane center predicts landfall in Florida’s Big Bend on Monday morning, somewhere between the Ochlockonee River in the Panhandle to the west of Tallahassee and the Suwannee River to the south of the state capitol. This is where the state’s panhandle meets its peninsula. Maximum sustained winds of 74 to 95 miles per hour are expected during Debby’s landfall, according to AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin.
From Yankeetown to Indian Pass, the Florida Gulf Coast was under a hurricane warning, according to forecasters. A tropical storm warning was issued for the following locations: Ponte Vedra Beach to South Santee River, South Carolina; south of Yankeetown to Boca Grande; and west of Indian Pass to Mexico Beach.
The hurricane center stated that there could be up to ten feet of water in the area between the Suwanee and Ochlockonee Rivers. Up to 15-foot surges were predicted by Accuweather for the Big Bend region.
What makes Debby so dangerous?
Due to Debby’s size and slow speed, the storm poses a significant risk, particularly near the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia. There is a significant chance of potentially fatal storm surges along the Florida coast early on Monday due to the size and speed increase of Debby’s wind as it organizes and gets closer to becoming a hurricane. Where the storm crosses the coast is where the surge will be at its highest.
According to hurricane center forecasts, Debby may intensify quickly, reaching wind speeds of up to 90 mph when it makes landfall. That might aid in pushing a water wall six to ten feet above the surface. If the storm moves in at high tide, the level would be higher.
As of Sunday, clouds were spreading across a large portion of Florida. The storm center is expected to move close to Savannah on Tuesday night and then move along the South Carolina coast on Thursday night.
Brennan stated that “multiple days of very, very heavy rainfall” are possible.
Through Friday, the National Weather Service predicts that isolated areas along the coast could see rainfall totals of up to 30 inches or more. We had what the Charleston, South Carolina, weather service office described as a “potentially historic rainfall.”
