Tropical Storm Debby has begun rapidly approaching the Big Bend region in Florida. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned residents of the area that “major floods” will threaten the southeastern parts of the U.S.
Right now, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina are most at risk of destruction and disaster due to the growing storm front. As of this morning, Debby was moving at 65 mph and was less than 100 miles west-southwest of Tampa. The storm will officially become a hurricane later today.
Debbys Dangerous Path
So far, the tropical storm has moved through the Gulf of Mexico and will likely make landfall sometime on Monday on the coast of Florida.
A hurricane warning has come into effect throughout the Suwannee River to the Ochlockonee River.
Precipitation Levels
The NHC has warned that Debbie will produce a “life-threatening” storm surge. The current prediction is about 6 to 12 inches of rain across northern Florida, with a maximum of 18 inches in certain areas.
An official warning was sent out for the middle of Longboat Key to Aripeka, which includes Tampa Bay. Due to the massive storm, the water will likely rise and move inland from the shoreline.
Tropical Storm Surges
So far, the surge has been issued for coastal parts of Georgia and South Carolina as the storm moves from the Gulf of Mexico to the east coast of the U.S.
Storm watchers think the storm will likely weaken as it travels after the initial push of wind and rain. However, the storm warnings will likely stay in effect until Debby passes.
Florida Has Declared a State of Emergency
The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, called in 3,000 National Guard troops to help mitigate the potential disasters faced in 61 of 67 counties currently facing a state of emergency. DeSantis also ordered evacuations in parts of the Gulf of Mexico, including Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus.
“This is a storm that is potentially dangerous … serious intensification is possible,” DeSantis said. “It’s going to drop a lot of water on the state, and that is going to have impacts.”
Georgia Follows Suit
After the Governor of Florida decided to call in Federal troops, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency through Thursday and called on “all Georgians to take precautions to keep their families and property safe.”
Experts have noted that when a state of emergency is called, residents must stop what they’re doing and begin the rapid process of securing emergency rations, bearing up windows, waterproofing their homes and cars, or preparing to evacuate.
Why the Slow Speed Can Be Harmful
While Debby is moving relatively slowly, this does not mean that the storm will be any less dangerous for residents living in the direct path. The slower a tropical storm or hurricane moves, the more time it has to fully intensify.
The recent warm waters recorded in the Gulf of Mexico also stand to make the storm more violent. The NHC said, “Conditions are favorable for strengthening over the Gulf of Mexico with warm sea surface temperatures and light shear. Intensification is likely to be slow during the first 12–24 hours, then proceed at a faster rate after the cyclone develops an organized inner core.”
Global Warming Makes Storms More Intense
Global warming has more negative side effects than simply warmer summer temperatures. A combination of factors can also cause storms like hurricanes and tsunamis to become more destructive than they would be with cool and moderate temperatures.
Warm waters in the ocean fuel violent storms by accelerating the process that all storms naturally go through. Also, as the global temperature rises and land becomes baked by the sun, it becomes less able to absorb stormwater, making flooding much more destructive. As a result, landslides and life-threatening floods are more common.
Flights Cancelled All Over the Coast
As of 12 p.m. EST Sunday, more than 2,000 flights were grounded or canceled, with more to come on Monday.
Another 20,000 flights were delayed, with most of the affected flights going through La Guardia in New York City or Miami International Airports.
Historic Rainfall Possible for Georgia and South Carolina
Micheal Brennan, the director of the hurricane centre, said at a briefing, “There’s some really amazing rainfall totals being forecast and amazing in a bad way. That would be record-breaking rainfall associated with a tropical cyclone for both the states of Georgia and South Carolina if we got up to the 30-inch [76-centimetre] level.”
Flooding could impact the region well though Friday. Low-lying areas with minimal flood protections are the most right around Savannah, Georgia, Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina.
The Death Toll Is Officially Recorded
The latest news out of Levy County, Florida, this morning shows that a 13-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on top of a mobile home on Monday morning, according to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. “Our thoughts and prayers are with this family as they deal with this tragedy,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to use extreme caution as they begin to assess and clean up the damage. Downed powerlines and falling trees are among the many hazards.”
Also, in Hillsborough County, Florida, a truck driver in a semi was killed as the truck drove into a canal off Interstate 275 this morning.
Hundreds of Thousands Without Power
According to PowerOutages.us, which tracks massive energy outages across the country, more than 300,000 customers in Florida are without power.
It’s unknown when the power will come back on, or if rolling outages will continue to affect customers in the path of Hurricane Debby.
