Late Sunday, Hurricane Debby intensified as it approached Florida’s Gulf Coast, raising concerns of historic rainfall and significant flooding, and leading to mandatory evacuation orders.
Having rapidly developed into a Category One hurricane, Debby gained strength due to the unusually warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is anticipated to impact Florida’s Big Bend region by midday Monday.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued a warning about potentially life-threatening storm surges along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with the possibility of water levels reaching 6 to 10 feet (1.8 to 3.0 meters) above ground in some locations.
The storm is likely to bring catastrophic flooding, with “potentially historic heavy rainfall,” as Debby moves northeast across Georgia and South Carolina over the coming days, according to the NHC.
“We are anticipating significant flooding, particularly in north-central Florida,” Governor Ron DeSantis stated during an emergency briefing on Sunday. He and NHC Deputy Director Jamie Rhome emphasized the need for Floridians to finalize their emergency preparations immediately.
As of 11:00 pm (2100 GMT), Debby was positioned about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Tampa, with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour and moving north at 12 miles per hour, as stated in the advisory.
With residents hurrying to make preparations, mandatory evacuations have been ordered for parts of Citrus County, Florida, while eight other counties have been placed under voluntary evacuation orders, according to local media reports.
“Take the situation seriously,” urged Paul Hasenmeier, Hernando County Fire Chief and Public Safety Director, late Saturday. “We know the water’s going to come up as the storm passes.”
Debby is predicted to deliver 6 to 12 inches of rain in parts of Florida, with coastal Georgia and South Carolina potentially receiving as much as 20 to 30 inches before the end of the week, the NHC noted.
In advance of the storm’s arrival, the governors of Georgia and South Carolina have declared a state of emergency. Brennan foresees “multiple days of very, very heavy rainfall” with potentially record-breaking levels and warns of severe flash flooding “in areas that don’t normally flood.”
President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida on Sunday, expediting federal aid. Governor DeSantis has activated the state’s National Guard, with 3,000 service members on standby to assist with storm response.
