Tropical Storm Debby is expected to rapidly intensify as it approaches the Florida coast near the Big Bend region on Monday. Debby will then slow down and may result in serious flooding across the Southeast.
Debby will bring flooding rainfall, gusty winds, coastal flooding, and a few tornadoes across the Florida Peninsula Sunday and then along the Southeast coast early in the coming week, where it could slow down or even stall, prolonging impacts.
A hurricane warning is now in effect for the Florida Gulf Coast from the Suwannee River to the Ochlockonee River.
A hurricane watch is in effect west of the Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass and from east of the Suwannee River to Yankeetown. Tropical storm warnings and watches cover the rest of western Florida, from East Cape Sable to north of Tampa Bay and the central Panhandle region. A tropical storm watch has also been issued for the Georgia and South Carolina coasts from the mouth of St. Mary’s River to South Santee River.
A storm surge warning has also been issued in the Florida Big Bend from the middle of Longboat Key northward to the Indian Pass. A storm surge watch continues southward from that area to Bonita Beach and northward to Aripeka. This includes Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor. A storm surge watch has also been posted for the Georgia coast from the mouth of St. Mary’s River to the South Santee River Life-threatening storm surge is possible in these areas.
Tropical Storm Debby is currently centered west of Florida in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and is traveling north-northwestward. Rain is spreading across the Florida peninsula but the heaviest rainfall is occurring along parts of the Gulf Coast. Tornado warnings have been issued on and off Sunday.
Wind gusts have topped 50 mph throughout the Florida Keys at times Sunday morning.
The latest National Hurricane Center forecast shows this system heading toward a landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Monday as a Category 1 hurricane, but Debby is expected to rapidly intensify over the warmest waters in all of the Atlantic Basin. It would be wise to prepare for a category higher than currently indicated.
Via Weather.com
