Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
It’s been more than 2 weeks since Debby smashed into Florida’s Big Bend and triggered life-threatening storm surge, widespread flooding, 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.
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.
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.
Debby’s 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.
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.
Debby’s 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.
https://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/240808_rpts.html
More than 16,000 insurance claims have been filed in Florida since Debby. Hurricane Debby’s 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.
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