Tropical Storm Debby to bring historic rainfall to portions of the Southeast

Tropical Storm Debby is expected to have impacts across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Hurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning area and possible in the hurricane watch areas early Monday, with tropical storm conditions expected to arrive this evening.

Tropical storm conditions are expected to spread northward over the tropical storm warning areas through tonight. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the watch area in the Florida Keys during the next several hours, and in the Florida Panhandle on Monday.

The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. Storm surge of 6 to 10 feet is possible from the Suwannee River to Aucilla River.

Debby is expected to produce rainfall totals of 6 to 12 inches, with maximum amounts of 18 inches, across portions of northern Florida through Friday morning. Across portions of southeast Georgia and South Carolina, 10 to 20 inches of rainfall, with local amounts to 30 inches, are expected through Friday morning. For Cuba, additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches, with localized higher amounts, will be possible through Sunday morning.

There is a risk of tornadoes through Monday morning mainly over western and northern Florida and southern Georgia.

Swells generated by Debby are expected to affect much of the Gulf coast of Florida through Monday. Swells will begin to affect the Southeast U.S. coast on Monday and continue through the middle of the week. These conditions are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.