Hurricane Debby to make its way into North Carolina: Timeline
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The ABC11 First Alert Weather Team is tracking the tropics and Central North Carolina is in the path of Hurricane Debby this week.
The National Hurricane Center updated Tropical Storm Four intensified to a Category 1 Hurricane on Sunday night.
Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said on Sunday evening that the storm has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
NOAA, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, calls for heavy rainfall that may result in flash flooding across portions of Florida and the southeast throughout most of the week.
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Debby is the fourth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season after Tropical Storm Alberto, Hurricane Beryl, and Tropical Storm Chris, all of which formed in June.
Regardless, the NC coast will experience beach erosion and heavy rain this week.
The heaviest rain amounts could even top 30 inches or more, with some forecast models showing the storm could linger through at least Thursday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 54 counties. A tropical storm warning is in effect in Florida from East Cape Sable to Boca Grande, including Naples.
Parts of Florida's west coast and Georgia and South Carolina coast are expected to have 6 to 12 inches of rain.
The Atlantic hurricane season started June 1 and the tropics are already flexing. The first named storm of the season Alberto made landfall Thursday, June 20 near Tampico, Mexico. Weeks later, on July 8, Beryl hit Texas as a Cat 1 before becoming a tropical depression. The storm caused significant damage and flooding.
