Post-Tropical Cyclone Debby Brings Flood Risks to Carolinas and Virginia
- Post-Tropical Cyclone Debby has caused significant flooding threats across the Carolinas and Virginia.
- Despite being downgraded, the storm continues to pose risks of heavy rainfall in the Mid-Atlantic and Upstate New York.
- Residents are urged to take precautions as the situation develops.
Aug. 6 (UPI) – Debby has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, yet it continues to pose significant risks of heavy rainfall and flooding from the Mid-Atlantic region to Upstate New York. As of the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, the storm was situated 110 miles north of Danville, Virginia, with maximum sustained winds recorded at 30 mph. Flood watches and warnings have been issued for several states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia, extending to parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and northern New England. The National Hurricane Center reported that Debby is moving north-northeast at approximately 35 mph, with expectations of a gradual turn to the northeast. Forecasts predict an additional 3 to 6 inches of rain, particularly affecting eastern South Carolina and southeast North Carolina, where total rainfall could reach catastrophic levels of 20 to 25 inches in some areas. The storm's impact is anticipated to result in "considerable flooding" and "locally catastrophic flash and urban flooding" across a wide area of the Atlantic seaboard. Debby initially made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in Florida's Big Bend area on Monday, subsequently weakening as it traversed the eastern coasts of Georgia and South Carolina. It made a second landfall early Thursday near Charleston, South Carolina. The storm may also spawn a few tornadoes, particularly in central and eastern North Carolina and parts of Virginia, with the threat extending into New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania on Friday.