Hurricane Debby reaches Category 1: Major damage expected in Florida and Southern States

Hurricane Debby has developed into a massive storm, expected to make landfall on Monday evening in the Big Bend region of Florida. With wind speeds of up to 120 km/h, Debby has reached Category 1 and could strengthen further offshore, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The storm could push water levels up to three meters inland and bring heavy rain. Richard Pasch, a senior hurricane specialist at the center, warned of a life-threatening situation. Historic rainfall could cause catastrophic flooding in southeastern Georgia and South Carolina. US President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in Florida and authorized federal aid to support the response. Governors Ron DeSantis and Brian Kemp have also declared states of emergency in Florida and Georgia. Dixie County in Florida has urged its coastal residents to evacuate starting Sunday at 2 PM, while Taylor County has set up emergency shelters. Damages and losses are already estimated at around $250 million, with the potential to rise. Chuck Watson, a disaster modeler at Enki Research, estimates the damage potential from massive flooding in Georgia and South Carolina could reach up to $1 billion. As of Sunday evening, Debby was located about 160 km west-northwest of Tampa. The storm could intensify over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, warned Ryan Truchelut of WeatherTiger. Matt Rinde of AccuWeather confirmed that the storm’s slow movement could lead to historic rainfall in Georgia and South Carolina. Power outages in Florida are virtually certain, although oil and gas operations in the western Gulf of Mexico remain unaffected. Debby is the fourth storm of the year 2024 and the second hurricane to hit the USA this year. Comparisons with previous storms such as Michael in 2018 and Ian in 2022 suggest that significant damage is likely. Particularly warm sea waters off the coast raise concerns about an extremely active Atlantic storm season. Debby could re-emerge over the Atlantic after its initial landfall and make landfall again in South Carolina. In addition to Debby, meteorologists are monitoring a second potential Atlantic storm system that could move into the western Caribbean this week.