(NEW YORK) — Debby, which weakened from a tropical storm to a tropical depression Thursday afternoon, is slamming the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast with heavy rain on Friday.
Debby made landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane on Monday and crawled up the East Coast all week.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Debby’s rain totals
Four states recorded more than 1 foot of rain this week from Tropical Storm Debby.
Parrish, Florida, and Summerville, South Carolina, saw more than 18 inches of rain.
Kings Grant, North Carolina, recorded over 15 inches, while Oliver, Georgia, saw more than 14 inches.
Debby’s death toll rises to 8
At least eight people have died from Tropical Storm Debby.
The most recent fatality was Thursday night, as a 78-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell on her mobile home in Browns Summit, North Carolina, according the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office.
DC faces flash flood warning
A flash food warning is in effect in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding areas until 11 a.m.
The rainfall rate could reach a dangerous 2.5 to 4.5 inches per hour.
Latest forecast
The remnants of Debby are targeting the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast on Friday. Virginia has recorded more than 8 inches of rain and Delaware has seen more than 9 inches of rain.
At least six tornadoes were reported across North Carolina, Virginia and Delaware over the last 24 hours.
The worst of the heavy rain will move into central Pennsylvania, upstate New York and northern New England throughout the day. Up to 6 inches of rain is possible, bringing a high threat for flash flooding.
High winds and a potential isolated tornado are in the forecast along the Interstate 95 corridor, from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.
By Saturday morning, the remnants of Debby will exit the Northeast.
Tornado watch issued in Baltimore, Philadelphia
A tornado watch is in effect in Baltimore, Philadelphia and much of New Jersey and the western Hudson Valley until 2 p.m.
Tornado watch extends in Washington-Baltimore area
A Debby-related tornado watch has been extended through 7 a.m. Friday ET for the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area.
Debby weakens to tropical depression
Debby weakened from a tropical storm to a tropical depression Thursday afternoon as the system continues to bring rain and flooding to the East Coast.
Over 80,000 without power in North Carolina
More than 80,000 customers are without power in North Carolina as Tropical Storm Debby rips through the state.
Gov. Roy Cooper said he’s activated 374 National Guard members and swift water rescue teams throughout the state.
Flooding has been reported on major roads, including Interstate 95.
Man found dead in tornado-leveled home in North Carolina
A man was found dead in his home Thursday morning after a tornado tore through overnight, according to the fire chief in Rock Ridge, North Carolina.
“The tornado had completely leveled the house. … We were initially unable to locate the victim,” Fire Chief Walt Williamson said. “We called in the FEMA rescue team, which brought in a canine unit to help us find and locate the individual.”
“The victim was likely asleep in his bedroom when the tornado struck,” Williamson said.
“This was an incredibly challenging task, both logistically and emotionally. It’s a lot of destruction to witness,” he said.
The tornado also caused major damage to a school in the area, Williamson said.
“The school’s roof was torn off,” Williamson said. “Thankfully, this happened in the middle of the night when no one was there. If it had been during school hours, it could have been much worse.”
Four tornadoes have been reported Thursday morning. A tornado watch is in effect in North Carolina and Virginia until 1 p.m. ET as Debby moves inland.
-ABC News’ Matt Foster and Jason Volack
Over 120,000 without power in North Carolina
More than 120,000 customers are without power in North Carolina as Tropical Storm Debby rips through the state.
Gov. Roy Cooper said he’s activated 374 National Guard members and swift water rescue teams throughout the state.
Flooding has been reported on major roads, including Interstate 95.
Debby makes 2nd landfall in South Carolina
Tropical Storm Debby made a second landfall early on Thursday, moving over South Carolina after regaining some strength over the Atlantic.
The storm made its landfall near Bulls Bay, a coastal about 20 miles northeast of Charleston, bringing with it a major flood treat, the National Hurricane Center said.
Maximum sustained winds were at about 50 mph as the storm hit land, weather officials said.
Storm still 60 mph as it crosses South Carolina coast
As of 11 p.m. ET, the center of Tropical Storm Debby is about to cross the coast of South Carolina. It will likely cross in the next few hours.
The storm’s strength has remained unchanged, with maximum sustained winds remaining at 60 mph.
A Tropical Storm Warning continues from Edisto Beach, South Carolina, to Surf City, North Carolina.
Debby is currently located 25 miles east-northeast of Charleston, South Carolina and crawling at 3 mph toward the north-northwest.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect for parts of coastal North Carolina.
-ABC News Meteorologist Melissa Griffin
Debby’s winds at 60 mph as it drifts off South Carolina coast
Debby has sustained winds of 60 mph as it drifts roughly 85 miles off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, moving at 3 mph.
The tropical storm is expected to make landfall again late Wednesday into early Thursday morning near Myrtle Beach.
The storm is expected to bring significant to catastrophic flooding, with flood watches and warnings covering much of the Carolinas. The high risk for excessive rainfall stretches from North Carolina into southern Virginia on Thursday.
A tornado watch is also in effect until 11 p.m. ET Wednesday for eastern North and South Carolina, where spin-up tornadoes are possible.
-ABC News’ Daniel Amarante
When Debby is forecast to make its 2nd landfall
Tropical Storm Debby — currently sitting off shore of Charleston, South Carolina — is forecast to make a second landfall Wednesday night between Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Another 6 inches of rain is possible for the Carolinas over the next 24 hours before Debby exits the region. A rare “high risk” for flash flooding is ongoing for the Carolinas, including the cities of Myrtle Beach, Wilmington and Raleigh.
By Thursday afternoon, Debby will begin to move north. By Friday, the storm will bring heavy rain and potentially flooding to Virginia, and then will reach the Northeast and New England.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Curfew lifted in Charleston
A city-wide curfew was lifted Wednesday morning in flood-prone Charleston, South Carolina.
No rescues were needed due to the curfew, Mayor William Cogswell said.
“After assessing overnight conditions, officials have determined that it is safe to return to normal activities,” the mayor said in a statement, but he added that the ongoing storm may still lead to downed trees and power lines.
“Several roads remain closed and are barricaded,” the mayor said. “Please avoid driving around barricades or entering flood waters.”
Debby’s winds at 45 mph ahead of expected second landfall Thursday
Tropical Storm Debby’s winds slightly strengthened early Wednesday, rising to about 45 mph, as the storm moved over warm water in the Atlantic about 65 miles from the coast of Charleston, South Carolina.
Debby is expected to remain a tropical storm into Thursday, when it’s forecast to make a second landfall in South Carolina.
The National Hurricane Center said it expects the storm to not strengthen much more, maybe rising up to about 50 mph ahead of that landfall.
The storm is then forecast to continue inland overnight into Friday, with its winds slowing as it travels through North Carolina and into Virginia.
Debby is slowly moving eastward offshore
Tropical Storm Debby is slowly moving eastward offshore the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina.
Debby is moving east at 5 mph while max sustained winds remain at 40mph, with its center currently about 50 miles east of Savannah, Georgia, as of 11 p.m. ET.
Tornado Watch remains in effect across eastern South Carolina and North Carolina, from Myrtle Beach to Morehead City until 1 a.m. ET.
Flood Watches remain in effect from Georgia to Virginia as bands of heavy rain will continue through the night.
Debby will be back over open water tonight and could gain a bit more strength over the next 24 hours, but is forecast to remain at tropical storm intensity.
A second landfall is expected in South Carolina Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.
Six killed including two kids
At least six people have been killed from Debby, authorities said.
A 13-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home Monday morning in Levy County, Florida, which encompasses Cedar Key, according to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this family as they deal with this tragedy,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to use extreme caution as they begin to assess and clean up the damage. Downed powerlines and falling trees are among the many hazards.”
In Hillsborough County, Florida, which encompasses Tampa, a driver of a semi was killed when the truck went into a canal off Interstate 275 Monday morning, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies recovered the semi and found the driver dead inside the cab, authorities said.
In Dixie County, Florida, a driver “lost control due to the inclement weather and wet roadway” on Sunday night, crashing into the center median guardrail and then overturning the car, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The driver, a 38-year-old woman, and a passenger, a 12-year-old boy, were killed, authorities said.
Another passenger, a 14-year-old boy, was seriously injured, the highway patrol said.
In Gulfport, Florida, a 48-year-old man died after he tried to ride out the storm on his sailboat which was anchored off Gulfport’s Veteran’s Park, police said, according to ABC Tampa affiliate WFTS-TV.
In Moultrie, Georgia, a 19-year-old man was struck and killed by a fallen tree while he was inside a home on Monday, according to Moultrie police.
What to expect Tuesday evening
Debby is moving at just 3 mph, with its center located about 10 miles east of Savannah, Georgia, as of 5 p.m. ET.
Tornadoes are possible in South Carolina and North Carolina on Tuesday night.
After a day of heavy rainfall, the coastal cities of Savannah and Charleston, South Carolina, could see a few more inches of rain this week. Both cities are under flash flood warnings.
But going forward, the worst of the rain will be focused further north. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Wilmington, North Carolina; and Lumberton, North Carolina, are forecast to get hit the hardest over the next 24 to 36 hours.
More than 1,000 flights canceled
More than 1,000 flights have been canceled within, into or out of the U.S. on Tuesday as Debby slams the Southeast and thunderstorms strike the Northeast. Ground stops are in place at the New York City area’s three airports.
South Carolina braces for severe flooding
The threat of severe flooding is very high across South Carolina with Tropical Storm Debby “creeping across our state,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster warned on Tuesday.
More than 90,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 90,000 customers remain without power in Florida, more than 24 hours after Debby tore through the state.
“Restoration is taking longer in areas with flooding and heavy vegetation, as crews must wait for the water to recede and clear through debris before they can restore power,” Florida Power & Light said Tuesday morning. “Rest assured, we’ll continue working until everyone who can safely receive power is restored. Avoid these flooded areas and stay away from downed power lines.”
Charleston’s curfew extended as city faces flash flood warning
A curfew in Charleston, South Carolina, has been extended to 7 a.m. Wednesday as the flood-prone city braces for potentially life-threatening flooding.
“Residents are advised to stay off the roads unless there is an urgent emergency,” the Charleston Fire Department said.
Charleston is under a flash flood warning. Up to 1 foot of rain has already fallen in the city, with more to come.
Five killed including two kids
At least five people have been killed from Debby, authorities said.
A 13-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home Monday morning in Levy County, Florida, which encompasses Cedar Key, according to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this family as they deal with this tragedy,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to use extreme caution as they begin to assess and clean up the damage. Downed powerlines and falling trees are among the many hazards.”
In Hillsborough County, Florida, which encompasses Tampa, a driver of a semi was killed when the truck went into a canal off Interstate 275 Monday morning, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies recovered the semi and found the driver dead inside the cab, authorities said.
In Dixie County, Florida, a driver “lost control due to the inclement weather and wet roadway” on Sunday night, crashing into the center median guardrail and then overturning the car, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The driver, a 38-year-old woman, and a passenger, a 12-year-old boy, were killed, authorities said.
Another passenger, a 14-year-old boy, was seriously injured, the highway patrol said.
In Moultrie, Georgia, a 19-year-old man was struck and killed by a fallen tree while he was inside a home on Monday, according to Moultrie police.
19-year-old hit by tree dies in Georgia
A 19-year-old died after being hit by a tree in Moultrie, Georgia, a local coroner told ABC News affiliate WALB-TV, bringing the storm’s death toll to five.
More than 150,000 customers without power, tracker says
More than 150,000 customers were without power early Tuesday in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, according to PowerOutage.us, a tracker of energy providers.
Florida had the highest number of outages, with more than 116,000, followed by more than 26,000 in George and almost 12,000 in South Carolina.
Debby to bring historic 10-20 inches of rainfall: Forecast
Despite weakening since moving over land, Debby is still maintaining its tropical storm status, producing maximum sustained wind speeds of 45 mph.
As of 11 p.m. ET, over 150,000 customers in Florida and Georgia are still without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
With Debby’s center about 35 miles west of Brunswick, Georgia, much of the heavy rain and showers have since moved out of Florida (except for the extreme northeastern corner of the state closer to the Georgia border). However, with the storm slowing down even more, Debby will stay stuck over the Southeast for the better part of this week, meandering over Georgia and the Carolinas.
Even though the storm is expected to weaken a bit more overnight, Debby is still expected to bring historic rainfall and life-threatening flooding to portions of southeastern Georgia and the coastal areas of the Carolinas over the next few days. Rainfall totals from this event are expected to reach between 10 and 20 inches.
Already, portions of southeastern Georgia and South Carolina have seen between 3 to 6 inches of rainfall, but with rainfall rates of 1.5 to 3 inches per hour possible, flood alerts remain in effect.
A Flash Flood Warning was issued for Charleston, South Carolina, where rainfall rates between 1.5 and 2.5 inches are expected. Ongoing or new flooding is expected, with an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain possible over the next few hours.
As onshore flow continues, storm surge remains an issue in Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina. Storm surge alerts remain in effect up the Georgia and Carolina coastlines.
Rainfall aside, Debby could also generate some spin-up tornadoes as it swirls over the Georgia-South Carolina border tonight. As a result, a Tornado Watch also remains in effect for parts of southeastern Georgia and South Carolina until 1 a.m. ET.
Over the next 48 hours, Debby is expected to meander back over the Atlantic but will continue to hug the coastline before heading back inland over the Carolinas again. Slight strengthening can’t entirely be ruled out as it moves back over water, but ultimately, Debby is expected to weaken once it moves back inland. Strength aside, it will still bring significant rainfall to portions of the Southeast, which will likely lead to catastrophic flooding in some areas.
Debby is expected to eventually drift toward the north/northeast by the end of the week into the weekend. As it heads north, it will likely weaken to a tropical depression or remnant low. Regardless, heavy rainfall is still expected up the I-95 corridor heading into this weekend.
Power returns to some Florida customers as Debby moves northeast
As of Monday evening, 146,034 customers are without power in Florida, according to the latest update from a U.S. power outage map.
This marks an improvement from Monday morning, which saw nearly 300,000 customers without power at 9:50 a.m. ET, the height of outages across the state.
During a press conference in Tallahassee Monday morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state’s emergency department had 17,000 linemen working to restore power in the wake of the storm.
“We have a lot of restoration personnel ready to go,” DeSantis said.
Debby weakening, but threats of tornadoes, heavy rain continue
Tropical Storm Debby continues to weaken, with maximum sustained winds down to 45 mph as of 8 p.m. ET. The weather pattern is moving very slowly to the northeast at 6 mph, and the center is currently about 50 miles east of Valdosta, Georgia.
Even though Debby is now inland and continues to weaken, many of the impacts — especially the heavy rainfall and dangerous flash flood threat — will not abate for several days. For many locations in coastal Georgia and South Carolina, the worst is yet to come.
The tornado threat continues along portions of the Georgia and South Carolina coasts this evening and into tonight. A Tornado Watch remains in effect from Savannah, Georgia, to Charleston, South Carolina, until at least 1 a.m. ET.
Parts of Florida, including Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, are reporting over a foot of rain from Debby, and portions of Suwannee County, including Live Oak, are getting around a foot as well.
So far, parts of Georgia, including Savannah, are reporting nearly 4″ of rain. The same can be said for Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Conditions will continue to deteriorate across much of South Carolina overnight Monday into Tuesday, with widespread areas of heavy rain and the potential for dangerous, significant flash flooding during nighttime hours.
Coastal flooding and storm surges will continue to increase in the coming hours as winds increase and more persistent heavy rain moves in, heading into high tide along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts.
By late Tuesday afternoon or early evening, the center of Debby will likely be moving off the Southeast coast and into the Atlantic, where it will meander for about 24 hours before likely turning back toward the coast and potentially making another landfall as a tropical storm somewhere along the South Carolina coast by Thursday morning or afternoon.
More than 163,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 163,000 customers are without power in Florida, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
Curfew set for Charleston, South Carolina
A curfew will go into effect overnight for Charleston, South Carolina, due to Debby, city officials said Monday.
Thoroughfares leading into the peninsula will be closed from 11 p.m. ET Monday to noon ET Tuesday, the city said, as the region braces for potential impacts such as tropical storm-force winds, heavy rain and isolated tornadoes.
“We urge everybody to stay inside, stay indoors and do not travel,” Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said at a press briefing Monday evening.
Biden approves emergency declaration request from South Carolina
President Joe Biden has approved a request from South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster for an emergency declaration in the state due to Debby, the White House said.
The declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to mobilize and provide equipment and resources necessary.
“The President continues to urge residents to remain vigilant and heed the warnings of State and local officials,” the White House said in a statement.
North Carolina governor declares state of emergency
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency ahead of severe weather, including life-threatening flash flooding, expected across the state due to Debby.
“This weather has the potential to bring intense rain and flooding to North Carolina and we are preparing for it,” Cooper said in a statement. “As the weather becomes more severe, I urge everyone to take precautions and stay safe.”
The emergency declaration will allow for the state to mobilize resources to respond to the storm.
Tropical Storm Debby slowing down as it moves across US
Tropical Storm Debby continues to weaken and slow down in forward speed as the center moves near the Florida-Georgia state line as of 5 p.m. ET.
Maximum sustained winds are down to 50 mph, and Debby is moving to the northeast at 6 mph. The center is currently about 30 miles southeast of Valdosta, Georgia.
As of Monday afternoon, all tropical weather and storm surge alerts have been canceled across Florida’s Gulf Coast as conditions improve across much of the state.
Debby will move across southeastern Georgia through Monday evening, with the worst impacts focused there and into the Jacksonville, Florida, area. Heavy rain continues to overspread southern South Carolina as well.
-ABC News meteorologist Daniel Peck
More than 199,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 199,000 customers are without power in Florida, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
4 killed including 2 kids
At least four people have been killed from Debby, authorities said.
13-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home Monday morning in Levy County, Florida, which encompasses Cedar Key, according to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this family as they deal with this tragedy,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to use extreme caution as they begin to assess and clean up the damage. Downed powerlines and falling trees are among the many hazards.”
In Hillsborough County, Florida, which encompasses Tampa, a driver of a semi was g.
Later, in the calmer aftermath, the officers questioned how a gunman was able to access a rooftop firing position fewer than 400 feet from the podium where Trump had been speaking.
“I told them, post f—— guys over here,” one officer is heard saying. “Why were we not on the roof?”
Butler County released the footage Thursday in response to public records requests from news agencies including ABC News.
One rally spectator was killed and two injured in the assassination attempt. Trump also suffered a graze wound to his ear. A motive in the assassination attempt remains under investigation.
Ronald Rowe, the acting director of the Secret Service, said last week that video from that day affirmed there should’ve been better coverage.
“We should have had better protection for the protectee. We should have had better coverage on that roofline,” Rowe told reporters.
FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate told a Senate panel last month that the investigation remains focused on motive, identifying any potential co-conspirators and building out the timeline of the shooter’s actions.
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