Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 05:44 pm
Atlanta: Tropical Storm Debby is expected to hit early Thursday, whipping the coast of South Carolina with heavy rainfall, raising fears of flash flooding in areas already saturated by the slow-moving storm. Forecasters predict up to 9 inches of rain in parts of eastern South Carolina, with total rainfall topping 25 inches in some areas since Debby began affecting the southeastern United States on Monday.
Rich Bann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, cautioned that Thursday’s rain might be more intense than previous days. “Moisture has pulsed back into Debby,” Bann said, describing how the storm picked up additional moisture stalled over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina. “As Debby makes its way inland. the threat of heavy rains will lead to flooding concerns.”
Bann said Debby is expected to bring as much as 4 inches of rain to Virginia and Pennsylvania by Friday, where already saturated ground from earlier storms increases the threat of flooding. The storm also could drop as much as 4 inches in central New York state and northern Vermont over the weekend.
At least six people in Florida and Georgia have died since the storm made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on Florida’s Gulf Coast on Monday and has since moved northeast. Governors in the Carolinas, Florida, and Georgia have declared states of emergency. The storm drenched neighborhoods and communities, washing out streets and flooding homes across the region.
Emergency management officials are paying close attention to the situation as a multitude of river systems in the Carolinas receive much rainwater. Before this storm subsides, the National Water Prediction Service predicts seven waterways will reach major flood levels.
Preparedness and Response
The governors of the affected states have declared states of emergency in an effort to mobilize as many resources and personnel as possible to respond to the impact of the storm. The officials managing the emergencies are fully alert, monitoring the water levels and putting in place measures that will help mitigate the flooding.
Impact on the Region
Tropical Storm Debby has been able to make its presence felt within the southeastern United States through the amount of rainfall it is pouring over the entire area, flooding a lot of its places. This was partly because of its slow movement pace and the fact that it drew moisture from the Atlantic Ocean. This has led to very serious infrastructural and housing damage.
Future Projections
The National Weather Service has warned that throughout the next days, the effects of this storm would continue to be felt with an expectation of the heavy rainfall to move northward. Persons in storm’s path have been urged to keep up to date and take all precautionary measures to safeguard them from its harm.
