MIAMI (AP) — A tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby north of Cuba Saturday and is expected to become a hurricane as it moves across the Gulf of Mexico on a collision course with the Florida coast.
The National Hurricane Center said in an update issued at 5 a.m. Sunday that Debby was located about 195 miles (315 kilometers) south-southwest of Tampa, Florida, and about 255 miles (410 kilometers) south-southwest of Cedar Key, Florida. The storm was moving north-northwest at 12 mph (20 km/h) with maximum sustained winds of 53 mph (85 km/h).
The storm is strengthening over the southeastern Gulf and is expected to become a hurricane before making landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida, the hurricane center said.
Strong winds and thunderstorms spread across a wide area including South Florida, the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. A hurricane warning and tropical storm warning were in effect for parts of the Florida coast and a tropical storm watch was added for the Georgia coast in the latest advisory.
Debby is likely to bring torrential rain and coastal flooding to much of Florida’s Gulf Coast by Sunday night, and forecasts show the system could make landfall as a hurricane Monday and track across northern Florida to the Atlantic Ocean.
Forecasters warn that heavy rain could also occur in northern Florida and the Atlantic coasts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina early next week.
Debby is the fourth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season after Tropical Storm Alberto, Hurricane Beryl and Tropical Storm Chris all formed in June.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami predicted the system would strengthen as it moved off the southwest coast of Florida, where the water is extremely warm. Intensification was expected to continue more rapidly later Sunday.
A hurricane warning was issued for parts of the Big Bend and the Florida Panhandle, while tropical storm warnings were issued for the west coast of Florida, the southern Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas. A tropical storm watch extended further west into the Panhandle. A warning means storm conditions are expected within 36 hours, while a watch means they are possible within 48 hours.
Tropical storms and hurricanes The rainfall could cause flooding and overwhelm drainage systems and canals. Forecasters warned that rainfall amounts could reach 6 to 12 inches (150 to 300 mm) and up to 18 inches (450 mm) in isolated areas, which could create “locally significant” flash and urban flooding. Forecasters also warned that some rivers along Florida’s west coast could experience moderate flooding.
Heaviest rains could occur in Georgia and South Carolina
The heaviest rains could occur next week along the Atlantic coast, from Jacksonville, Florida, to coastal areas of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. The storm is expected to slow down after landfall.
“We could see a stall or a meandering motion around the coastal areas of the southeastern United States,” National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said at a briefing Saturday. “So that’s going to exacerbate not only the risk of precipitation, but also the risk of storm surge and high winds.”
Florida is prone to flooding even on sunny days, and the storm is expected to bring a surge of 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters) along much of the Gulf Coast, including Tampa Bay, with a storm surge of up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) north of there in the sparsely populated Big Bend region.
Forecasters warned of “danger of life-threatening flooding from storm surge” in an area that includes Hernando Beach, Crystal River, Steinhatchee and Cedar Key. Officials in Citrus and Levy counties ordered mandatory evacuations of coastal areas, while officials in Hernando, Manatee, Pasco and Taylor counties called for voluntary evacuations. Shelters opened in those and other counties.
Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast estimates 21,000 people live in his county’s evacuation zone. Authorities rescued 73 people from flooding caused by storm surge during Hurricane Idalia last year. Prendergast said by phone that he hopes not to experience the same situation with Debbie.
“Once the storm surge hits, we simply don’t have enough first responders in our agency and other first responders across the county to step in and rescue everyone who might need to be rescued,” he said.
Preparations for floods are underway
Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 61 of Florida’s 67 counties, and the National Guard has deployed 3,000 members. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also declared a state of emergency Saturday.
The White House said federal and Florida officials were in contact and that FEMA had “prepositioned” resources, including water and food.
In Tampa alone, officials have distributed more than 30,000 sandbags to protect the city from flooding.
“We’ve cleaned out our storm drains. We’ve checked and filled all of our generators. We’re doing everything we can to be ready for a tropical storm,” said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.
Christina Lothrop is the general manager of Blue Pelican Marina in Hernando Beach, a barrier island about 50 miles north of St. Petersburg. She said the public ramp was packed Saturday with people launching boats.
“Today it’s pretty normal, which is a little weird,” Lothrop told The Associated Press by telephone.
Workers at his marina have been preparing since Tuesday, securing boats stored on racks, stowing toolboxes and tying down everything.
“Right now, what we’re doing is mainly mooring boats,” Lothrop said.
Before closing Saturday, Lothrop had planned to raise computers off the floor and cover the doors with sandbags and duct tape. Idalia pushed about a foot of water into the store.
Betti Silverman, whose Crystal River home was under an evacuation order, said Saturday afternoon she doubted her family would leave. Silverman’s waterfront home flooded during Idalia just as her family was moving in, destroying boxes and furniture in the garage. But she said the forecast for Debby didn’t seem as severe.
“We’ve lived in Florida our whole lives, in South Florida, so hurricanes aren’t really a big deal,” Silverman said.
Crews removed floating cranes from a bridge construction project across Tampa Bay on Friday, lashing together 74 barges and 24 floating cranes and anchoring them, project engineer Marianne Brinson told the The Tampa Bay Times newspaperThe crews also lowered cranes onto the ground, on their sides.
Pinellas County has suspended a $5 million beach redevelopment project necessitated in part by erosion from past storms.
For some, the name Debby conjures up memories of the 2012 tropical storm that caused $250 million in losses and eight deaths, including seven in the Sunshine State. That storm dumped torrential rains, including 30.5 inches (730 mm) south of Tallahassee.
New storms in the Pacific, but no land threat
More than 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) off Mexico in the Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Carlotta continued to track westward with sustained winds of up to 90 mph (140 km/h). Carlotta began to lose strength Saturday and is expected to dissipate into a few thunderstorms.
Further west, Tropical Storm Daniel formed in the Pacific. It was more than 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from the southern tip of Baja California and was also expected to dissipate without making landfall.
