Hurricane Debby Strikes Northern Florida As A Category 1 Storm.

TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Debby, a Category 1 storm, has made landfall in northern Florida on Monday. The National Hurricane Center in Miami reported that Debby has maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (129 kph). The storm hit Steinhatchee, a small community on the Big Bend area of Florida’s Gulf Coast with fewer than 1,000 residents. Experts have issued warnings about the potential for heavy rain and catastrophic flooding in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. Debby is the fourth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.

UPDATE: This is a breaking news update on Hurricane Debby. The following is AP’s earlier story:

TAMPA, Fla. – The center of Hurricane Debby is expected to reach the Big Bend coast of Florida early Monday, bringing with it potential record-setting rains, catastrophic flooding, and life-threatening storm surge. It will slowly move across the northern part of the state before stalling over the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina.

At present, Debby is approximately 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Cedar Key, Florida, with sustained winds of 80 mph (120 kph). The storm is moving northeast at a speed of 10 mph (17 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters have warned about the heavy rainfall that Debby could unleash, posing a serious risk of catastrophic flooding in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. The storm is projected to make landfall Monday morning in the Big Bend area of Florida, just north of Tampa. A tornado watch has also been issued for parts of Florida and Georgia on Monday.

Concerns about the hurricane’s impact are rising, with residents and business owners in affected areas taking precautions. Sheryl Horne, whose family owns the Shell Island Fish Camp along the Wakulla River in St. Marks, Florida, is among the many individuals securing their properties and belongings.

The sparsely populated Big Bend region in the Florida Panhandle had already been hit by Hurricane Idalia last year when it made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane. Sheryl Horne remarked, “I am used to storms and I’m used to cleaning up after storms.”

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee has emphasized that the biggest concern in the Big Bend region is heavy flooding, with storm surge expected across Apalachee Bay. In Marion County, located inland and south of Gainesville, reports of downed power lines and fallen trees obstructing roadways and homes have been received.

Debby is forecasted to move eastward over northern Florida before stalling over the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina, leading to potential record-breaking rainfall of up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) starting on Tuesday.

Officials have also issued warnings about life-threatening storm surge along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with an expected inundation of 6 to 10 feet (1.8 to 3 meters) between the Ochlockonee and Suwannee rivers on Monday.

The hurricane center’s director, Michael Brennan, stated during a briefing, “There are some really amazing rainfall totals being forecasted, 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 level.”

The flooding is expected to last through Friday and is anticipated to be particularly severe in low-lying areas near the coast, including Savannah, Georgia; Hilton Head, South Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina. North Carolina officials are closely monitoring the storm’s progress.

Savannah’s officials have warned that the area could experience a month’s worth of rain in just four days if the system stalls over the region. “This is going to be a significant storm,” stated Savannah Mayor Van R. Johnson during a press conference.

Debby’s outer bands have already affected the west coast of Florida, resulting in flooded streets and power outages. Sarasota County officials reported that most roadways on Siesta Key, a barrier island off the coast of Sarasota, are currently underwater. The hurricane center had previously predicted that the system would strengthen as it curved off the southwest Florida coast.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, during a briefing on Sunday afternoon, alerted residents to the potential for significant flooding in North Central Florida, saying, “The storm could lead to really, really significant flooding that will happen in North Central Florida.” He also noted that Debby would follow a similar track to Hurricane Idalia but would be much wetter.

Debby is the fourth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, following Tropical Storm Alberto, Hurricane Beryl, and Tropical Storm Chris, all of which formed in June. In the Eastern Pacific, tropical storms Carlotta, Daniel, and Emilia have churned over the ocean without posing a threat to land.

While Mark Reblin, the owner of a liquor store, moved items to prevent damage, he expressed his experience dealing with storms, “I’ve been here 29 years. This isn’t the first time I’ve done it. Do you get used to it? No.”

Employees of Savannah Canoe and Kayak in Georgia have been busy securing their watercraft, laying sandbags, and raising equipment off the ground. Mayme Bouy, the store manager, shared her perspective, not overly concerned about the forecast but still taking precautions for a potential historic rain event.

In Tampa alone, officials distributed more than 30,000 sandbags to safeguard against flooding.