Hurricane Debby Hits Northern Florida, Causing Severe Flooding
Northern Florida – Hurricane Debby made landfall on the Big Bend coast of Northern Florida as a Category 1 hurricane, bringing heavy rain and wind speeds nearing 130 km/h. Despite being swiftly downgraded to a tropical storm, Debby’s potential for widespread damage remains significant due to the torrential rain.
The storm’s heavy rainfall poses the greatest threat, with forecasts predicting up to 76 cm of rain in some areas within 24 hours.
“We have seen inundation and will continue to see flooding in various parts of Florida,” authorities warned. The storm is projected to move through North Central Florida and potentially into Georgia and the Carolinas.
Meteorologists attribute the storm’s rapid intensification to record-high ocean temperatures, a consequence of human-induced global warming. These conditions enable tropical storms to gain strength faster and carry more water than in previous decades. As a result, power outages have affected 235,000 customers in Florida, according to PowerOutage.com.
In Sarasota, residents are grappling with severe flooding. “The biggest problem is there’s so many cars that are underwater, there’s just oil all over the place, so trying to get back there is a little bit tricky,” a local resident explained.
Further east, officials in Charleston, South Carolina’s largest city, are bracing for potentially catastrophic flooding.
“Tropical Storm Debby is now forecasted to bring historic levels of rain to our area, with predictions ranging between 10 to 20 inches over the next few days, and the potential to reach up to 30 inches in specific areas,” officials stated. This unprecedented rainfall could lead to life-threatening flash flooding across Charleston.
The US Weather Service has predicted an unusually intense hurricane season this year, with up to 13 hurricanes expected. The situation underscores the increasing severity of weather patterns attributed to climate change.
