Tropical Storm Debby is expected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane Sunday night before making landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida early Monday, bringing with it strong winds, significant flooding and power outages.
“Make sure you’re executing your plan now,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Floridians at a news conference Sunday afternoon. “As the storm comes, you may get hit with an awful lot of water.”
DeSantis compared Debby’s path to that of Hurricane Idalia, the Category 4 hurricane in 2023 that caused significant damage in north Florida. Debby won’t have winds as strong as Idalia’s, but it will bring much more moisture, DeSantis said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Sunday that President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida. The action authorizes FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide necessary equipment and resources.
What started as a front moved north past Cuba and became Tropical Storm Debby on Saturday. The front developed from a potential tropical cyclone to a tropical depression, and it continues to draw strength from warm, tropical water.
By Sunday night, the storm’s center was about 100 miles west of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained winds at 70 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was moving north at about 12 mph as of 8 p.m. ET.
It is expected to strengthen rapidly before landfall in the Big Bend region, posing a “danger of life-threatening storm surge inundation along portions of the Gulf coast of Florida from Aripeka to Indian Pass.”
Storm surge warnings were issued Sunday from the mouth of the Saint Mary's River to South Santee River, South Carolina, and from Ponte Vedre Beach, Florida, to the Savannah River on the Georgia-South Carolina border.
“Hurricane conditions are expected on Monday along portions of the Florida Big Bend region where a Hurricane Warning is in effect, with tropical storm conditions beginning this evening,” the center said in an update Sunday.
In Horseshoe Beach, the town’s mayor, Jeff Williams, said he is "very concerned." The area is still recovering from Idalia, which destroyed almost 75 structures, almost one year ago.
On Sunday, residents who planned to stay were prepping, and business owners were putting out sandbags. Roughly 95% of the town has evacuated ahead of an anticipated 8-feet of storm surge, Williams said.
Debby is the fourth named storm of the North Atlantic hurricane season.
Florida locals have taken to social media to post pictures and videos of the flooding, which submerged roads and backyards. In the posts, almost the entirety of the ground is covered by water. Strong storm waves were seen in St. Petersburg while high tide water was seen near residents in other parts of southwest Florida.
The St. Petersburg Police Department closed several streets due to the flooding.
Earlier Sunday, DeSantis said he activated 3,000 members of the state’s National Guard to assist emergency responders. The governor warned of power outages, hazardous debris and flooded roadways as Floridians prepared for the storm.
“You’re going to end up with possibilities of flooding not just in the next two days, but for many days afterward,” DeSantis said. “So just be prepared for that.”
Franklin County, along the Gulf of Mexico in the Florida Panhandle, issued an evacuation order Sunday morning for its flood-prone areas.
On Saturday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency, and Gov. Henry McMaster did the same for South Carolina.
According to the hurricane center, Debby is expected to produce up to 18 inches of rain across parts of northern Florida and up to 30 inches across parts of southeast Georgia and South Carolina through Friday morning.
Tampa International Airport remains open and operational, but according to NBC affiliate WFLA of Tampa, it has canceled 120 flights as of 2 p.m. Sunday.