Tropical Storm Debby Already 'Life-Threatening'; May Cause 'Extreme' And 'Historic' Flooding To Southeast
Tropical Storm Debby is expected to make landfall in Florida Monday as a Category 1 hurricane and potentially cause "historic" rainfall and "life-threatening and catastrophic flooding" across the Southeast, according to experts.
On Sunday, AccuWeather expert meteorologists urged residents across the southeast -- particularly Florida, Georgia and South Carolina -- to prepare for the "extreme risk to lives and property" Tropical Storm Debby may bring once it makes its way through the Gulf of Mexico and hits the Big Bend region of Florida.
Originally a front, Debby became a tropical storm Saturday, and continues to draw strength from the Gulf of Mexico's warm waters, CNN reported.
Tropical Storm Debby is forecast to quickly intensify into a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 74 to 95 miles per hour on the Saffir-Simpson scale before making landfall on the Big Bend at around 11 a.m. EDT Monday, according to AccuWeather experts.
Tropical Storm Debby is expected to traverse northern Florida on Monday before entering southern Georgia Tuesday and South Carolina Wednesday.
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Once the tropical storm strengthens into a hurricane, parts of the Southeast could face "extreme, life-threatening and potentially historic flooding" that could last days to weeks, AccuWeather said.
Debby could also result in "widespread power outages, structural damage to many buildings, especially near the coast, as well as severe coastal inundation."
"The flooding threat from Debby could lead to a life-threatening and catastrophic flooding disaster in communities across the Southeast if this storm slows down or stalls out," AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jon Porter explained.
"The combination of hours of relentless, heavy rain and a persistent onshore flow could prevent rivers and waterways from draining into the Atlantic, making the flooding impacts even worse," he continued.
AccuWeather senior director Dan DePodwin also warned that they are "very concerned" about a "historic flooding event with staggering rainfall totals that could be measured in feet, not inches."
AccuWeather hurricane experts predicted that parts of eastern Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina could receive 18 to 24 inches of rainfall, with a potential maximum of 32 inches.
Experts also warned of potential tornadoes for much of Florida and parts of southern Georgia.
Tropical Storm Debby is also expected to cause hundreds of flight cancellations throughout the Southeast and surrounding areas Monday and Tuesday.
Ahead of Debby's arrival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared states of emergency for their respective states over the weekend.
On Sunday, DeSantis urged residents to ramp up their preparations for the storm and possible power outages, "particularly in parts of the state like here in Tallahassee," as quoted by CNN.
"There's going to be a lot of trees that are going to fall down. You're going to have debris. You are going to have power interruption," DeSantis said, "so just prepare for that."
The Florida governor also advised residents not to drive their cars through flooded streets, which he said was the "No. 1" cause of fatalities as a result of floods.
