Large stretches of the Florida coast are bracing for massive storm surges as Hurricane Debby made landfall on Monday.
Hurricane Debby made landfall in Steinhatchee, along the Big Bend region of Florida's Gulf coast, according to BayNews9. Around 135,000 people are already without power across the state, according to PowerOutage.us.
The storm, which strengthened into a hurricane is expected to cause major storm surges across Florida, as well as in Georgia and South Carolina.
"Dangerous storm surge and wind impacts are expected along portions of the southeast U.S. coast from northeastern Florida to North Carolina through the middle of the week, and storm surge warnings and tropical storm watches and warnings are in effect for portions of these areas," the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in a Key Messages advisory.
"There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge along portions of the Gulf Coast of Florida, with 6 to 10 feet of inundation above ground level expected somewhere between Ochlockonee River to Yankeetown through the morning."
A storm surge is an abnormal rise in sea level accompanying a hurricane or other intense storm. The most significant contributor to storm surges are the strong winds associated with a hurricane, as they push water toward the coast, causing it to pile up and rise above the normal sea level. The winds also generate large, powerful waves on top of the surge, which can lead to additional water being pushed inland, exacerbating flooding.
Storm surges can cause significant and rapid flooding, leading to widespread destruction, and posing major threats to life and property.
According to an NHC Hurricane Debby Public Advisory, storm surge warnings have been issued for much of the Florida coast, as well as for parts of the Georgia and South Carolina coasts, as the storm moves across the country.
"A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline," the NHC explained.
NHC maps show the areas of the Florida coast most at risk, with 6 to 10 feet of storm surge being forecast between Ochlockonee River to Yankeetown, 4 to 6 feet in other nearby areas, and 3 to 5 feet in Tampa Bay. Two to 4 feet is forecast along the coast of Georgia and South Carolina.
Horseshoe Beach in Florida's Big Bend is already seeing huge storm surges, and is completely cut off by water, according to a post to X by local storm chaser
Bryce Shelton.
Hurricane Debby formed over the Atlantic earlier last week, becoming the fourth named storm of the hurricane season. It strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane when it was 100 miles west-northwest of Tampa, late on Sunday night.
"Debby is then expected to move slowly across northern Florida and southern Georgia late today and Tuesday, and be near the Georgia coast by Tuesday night," the NHC said. "Maximum sustained winds are near 80 mph (130 km/h) with higher gusts."
The storm will then weaken to a depression as it moves north across North Carolina.
Another map reveals that there is at least a 70 percent chance of flash flooding across northern Florida, and the Georgia and South Carolina coasts, with at least a 40 percent chance of flash flooding between Tampa Bay and Jacksonville. This is due to the intense rainfall expected to come with the hurricane, with up to 30 inches being seen in certain places in southeast Georgia, the coastal plain of South Carolina, and southeast North Carolina.
"Potentially historic heavy rainfall across southeast Georgia and the coastal plain of South Carolina through Saturday morning will likely result in areas of catastrophic flooding. Heavy rainfall will likely result in considerable flooding impacts from portions of central and northern Florida and across portions of central and northeast North Carolina through Saturday morning," the NHC said.
There are also forecasts of tornadoes across northern Florida, and southeastern Georgia on Monday.
"The threat will spread northeastward into parts of South Carolina later today and tonight," the NHC said.
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