As it approached Florida’s Gulf Coast, Tropical Storm Debby rapidly intensified on Sunday, raising concerns that it might become a hurricane soon. As it churns through the unseasonably warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, this storm carries a strong potential for life-threatening coastal surge and record-breaking floods.
According to National Hurricane Center (NHC), Debby is forecasted to be a hurricane by Sunday night and reach Florida Big Bend region around noon Monday. In some areas, NHC has forewarned of storm surges that will go as high as 6-10 feet above normally dry ground level which can cause extreme flooding.
Governor Ron DeSantis underscored the seriousness of the matter during an emergency briefing. “We could potentially see significant flooding, particularly in north-central Florida,” he said noting that the effects of the storm are already visible thus residents should rush towards finalizing their preparedness measures.
At 5:00 pm EDT on Sunday, Debby was situated about 120 miles (190 kilometers) westward from Tampa with maximum winds still at only 65 mph and moving northwards at 12 mph. Its intensification is expected to persist underlining concerns about its likely impact.
Citrus County ordered mandatory evacuations for parts of the county ahead of Debby’s arrival late Saturday. Also eight other counties were issued voluntary evacuation orders. Local officials emphasize these orders should not be ignored. ”Take it seriously,” advised Paul Hasenmeier who is both fire chief and public safety director in Hernando County. “We know we’re gonna get water up as that storm goes over.”
The NHC predicts Debby could bring anywhere from six to twelve inches of rain over different sections of Florida with coastal Georgia/South Carolina possibly getting hit with twenty to thirty inches by week’s end. Potential for “potentially historic heavy rainfall” provokes trepidation especially in regions unfamiliar with such conditions fearing flash flooding of a severe nature.
Governors in both Georgia and South Carolina have declared states of emergency out of an abundance of caution. Additionally, President Joe Biden has given his approval to an emergency declaration for Florida which hastens the release of federal aid in support of storm response.
DeSantis has deployed 3000 National Guard troops throughout the state as part of the standby for emergency operations and recovery. This coordinated approach is aimed at reducing the impact that could come from an event weatherwise historic in nature.
People along the Gulf Coast and across southeastern U.S. are advised to stay alert following local recommendations since Tropical Storm Debby continues to pose danger to their areas.
