Hurricane Debby 10-point update: Florida braces for life-threatening storm surge

Up to 11 inches of rain has already been recorded in parts of Pinellas County on the west central coast

Hurricane Debby made landfall on Florida's Big Bend Coast Monday morning. The Category 1 hurricane is expected to wreak havoc as forecasters warn about record-setting rain. While the storm hit one of the least populated areas of the state, it may bring catastrophic flooding in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. As Floridians brace for life-threatening storm surge, Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 61 counties expected to be affected by the storm.

View of flooding caused by wind-driven rain from Hurricane Debby in Fort Myers, Florida, U.S., August 4, 2024 in this picture obtained from social media video. Gabbi Ray via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.(Gabbi Ray via REUTERS)

10-point update on Category 1 Hurricane Debby

1. At the time of its landfall near Steinhatchee, Hurricane Debby had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and was moving north-northeast at 10 mph (17 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
2. DeSantis provided updates on the impact of the storm at the state’s emergency operations centre at 7:30 am alongside Kevin Guthrie, head of the state’s Division of Emergency Management. Guthrie warned that the flooding from the storm could last anywhere between five to 10 days.
3. Parts of central and northern Florida and southeastern North Carolina are expected to experience 6 to 12 inches of rain, the hurricane centre said, adding that it could go as high as 18 inches. Meanwhile, parts of southeast Georgia and South Carolina could get 10 to 20 inches of rain, with up to 30 inches.
4. Just hours after Debby's landfall, some parts of Florida already experienced tropical storm conditions, with more than 10 inches of rain in some areas. Up to 11 inches of rain has already been recorded in parts of Pinellas County on the west central coast, the county's Department of Emergency Management said.
5. More than 300,000 electric consumers were left without power as Debby made landfall, according to PowerOutage.us. The counties that were affected most were Taylor (over 13,000 customers), Jefferson (more than 8,000), and Suwannee (more than 22,000).
6. Taylor County Emergency Management and the county sheriff’s office urged residents to take shelter as downed trees and powerlines were reported in Perry. “Please don’t put yourself at risk,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post at 9:30 am.
7. Tornado watch had been extended to most of Florida as Debby approached the coastline. “A few tornadoes are possible over central and northern Florida and southeastern Georgia today. The threat will spread northeastward into parts of South Carolina later today and tonight,” the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.
8. Hurricane Debby is following the tracks of Hurricane Idalia, which wreaked havoc in Florida about 11 months ago. Heavy rains are expected to pummel areas still recovering from the previous Category 4 hurricane.
9. The state governor warned residents not to go out amid rising water levels. “When the water rises, when you have streets that can be flooded, that’s hazardous. Don’t try to drive through this. We don’t want to see traffic fatalities adding up. Don’t tempt fate, don’t try to go through these flooded streets,” DeSantis said.
10. Hurricane Debby will move northeastward, leaving behind a trail of heavy rains and catastrophic flooding before slowing to a snail’s pace in the vicinity of Georgia and South Carolina by Tuesday night, per Fox Weather.