Debby strengthens, reached Florida as a hurricane

Tropical Storm Debby reached Florida as a Category 1 hurricane. Before it made landfall (it is expected to do so in the Big Bend region), the effects of the atmospheric phenomenon were already being felt in The Sunshine State, with torrential rains and dangerous strong winds.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Debby reached winds with a sustained speed of up to 80 miles per hour, confirming its status as a hurricane. Before landfall on the mainland, more than 10 inches of rain has been recorded on the west coast of Florida around Tampa Bay, where water rescues have been ongoing near Clearwater. Also, significant flooding has been reported in the Fort Myers area in recent hours.

‘An inordinate amount of water’

After making landfall between northern Florida and southern Georgia, Debby is forecast to move slowly toward the Carolinas, especially South Carolina, leaving significant amounts of rain in its path and thunderstorms that may endanger the lives of citizens. The governors of the three states have already declared a state of emergency and urged their citizens to prepare for what lies ahead.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis noted on Fox that Debby's main difference from Idalia is the speed at which it will cross the state: "I think what's going to make this much different than what we had with Idalia is it is going to move very slowly once it enters Florida – it's going to be southern Georgia, northern Florida – and it is just going to drop an inordinate amount of water on the north-central Florida region."