Debby becomes hurricane near landfall in Florida

Hurricane Debby has maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h with higher gusts.

Debby is near landfall in the Florida Big Bend. The storm is located 75 km northwest of Cedar Key. It is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge to the area and major flooding in parts of Florida and the Southeastern States.

Later this morning hurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning area. Tropical storm conditions will continue to spread northward over the tropical storm warning area along the Florida Gulf coast through the morning, and begin along portions of the tropical storm warning area along the Atlantic coast by this evening. Tropical storm conditions are expected along the coast of South Carolina within the tropical storm warning area by late tonight.

Storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could 6 to 10 feet from Yankeetown, FL to Ochlockonee River, FL.

Debby is expected to produce rainfall totals of 6 to 12 inches, with maximum amounts of 18 inches, across portions of central and northern Florida as well as central and northeast North Carolina through Saturday morning. This rainfall will likely result in areas of considerable flash and urban flooding, with significant river flooding expected.

Across portions of southeast Georgia, the coastal plain of South Carolina, and southeast North Carolina, 10 to 20 inches of rainfall, with local amounts to 30 inches, are expected through Saturday morning. This potentially historic rainfall will likely result in areas of catastrophic flooding.

Tornadoes are possible over central and northern Florida and southeastern Georgia today. The threat will spread northeastward into parts of South Carolina later today and tonight.

Swells generated by Debby are expected to affect much of the Gulf coast of Florida through tonight. Swells will begin to affect the Southeast U.S. coast later today and continue through themiddle of the week. Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are expected.