It's been more than 2 weeks since Debby smashed into Florida's Big Bend and triggered a life threatening storm surge, widespread flash floods, massive power outages and spawned multiple tornadoes. In Debby's week-long tenure along the eastern United States, it caused more than a billion dollars in damages along the Atlantic Seaboard and was directly responsible for the deaths of least 9 people.
Tropical Storm Debby pushed into southern Georgia on Monday after making landfall on Florida鈥檚 Big Bend coast and killing at least one person. Debby is expected to move offshore into the Atlantic Ocean, with winds pushing surf back toward the shoreline.
— The New York Times (@nytimes)
Hurricane Debby became a tropical depression on August 3rd and then a tropical storm soon after. It intensified as it moved north through the Gulf of Mexico and became a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall near Steinhatchee, Fla. on the morning of Aug. 5. For a look at Debby from its inception to dissipation, click the link below. Time lapse via NOAA.
Debby struck Florida's Big Bend, just 15 miles away from where Hurricane Idalia made landfall last August.
READ MORE: Hurricane Debby damage is 'manageable' for insurers
made landfall just 15 miles from where Idalia did almost 1 year ago.
— Jonathan Erdman (@wxjerdman)
Idalia's winds were much stronger (Cat. 3 landfall), but it exited off the East Coast the following AM.
Debby will overstay its welcome into next weekend, so rainfall is a larger danger.
Debby was the second hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, following the deadly and devastating Hurricane Beryl. Debby, which formed Aug. 2, was also quite early: on average, the second Atlantic hurricane usually forms on Aug. 26, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.
Tropical Storm has formed in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico - the 4th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic season. On average, the 4th Atlantic named storm forms on 15 August.
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach)
Debby鈥檚 strong winds toppled trees, damaged property, and left more than 300,000 customers without power from Florida to New England. In the Sunshine state, more than 625 million gallons of floodwater was removed from Debby.
During a five-day period, dozens of cities and towns across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas saw rainfall totals of more than a foot. In Florida alone, 19.67 inches fell in Lake City, FL.
Several Florida towns and communities experienced massive river flooding as well and nearly historic rains pushed river waters up and over into many low lying areas.
Here's a preliminary recap of the widespread heavy rainfall and flooding storm reports that occurred across much of the Eastern U.S. over the last week associated with Debby. For a listing of the rain and wind reports, check out our Storm Summary
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC)
Power outages extended to thousands more in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and across New England, with Vermont particularly hard hit. Debby then lingered in the East with flooding, destructive tornadoes and some damaging wind gusts from Florida and as far north as New York with numerous destructive tornadoes along its path.
馃寑馃尓锔廌ebby's Tornado Warnings馃尓锔忦煂�
— Live Storm Chasers (@LiveStormChaser)
Debby has been VERY BUSY spitting out Tornado Warnings! As of today, Aug 8, there has been at least 141 red boxes and more will likely be added!
Debby鈥檚 peak wind gusts were right at Category 1 strength along many parts of Florida. The highest gust was reported in Chiefland, Florida with a peak gust near 76 miles per hour.
More than 16,000 insurance claims have been filed in Florida since Debby. Hurricane Debby鈥檚 economic hit on Florida has so far added up to an estimated $113.8 million in insured losses, according to the ongoing report of storm claims updated last week. The numbers do not include claims made to the National Flood Insurance Program.
