Tropical Depression 4 formed over Cuba on Saturday morning and is expected to strengthen further as it enters the warm Gulf of Mexico later in the day, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The storm system had winds of 30 mph at 7 a.m. Saturday and was moving west-northwest at 16 mph.
Tropical Depression 4 is expected to become Tropical Storm Debby later in the evening as it enters the Gulf before landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast early Monday morning, NHC forecasters say.
A hurricane watch has been issued for parts of western-central Florida and the Big Bend region. South of there, a tropical storm warning is in effect down the west coast of the state, including the Tampa Bay area. The Florida Keys are under a tropical storm watch.
Once the system makes landfall, it will move slowly over southern Georgia, then enter the Atlantic and border South Carolina’s coast next week, according to the latest forecast.
Florida and parts of the southeastern U.S. should prepare for heavy rainfall, starting Saturday and lasting through Wednesday, that could result in local flash flooding and isolated river flooding, the NHC says.
“Life threatening” storm surge is possible along Florida’s west coast, including in Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor. A storm surge watch is in effect. Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina could also see heavy rains, flash flooding and coastal storm surge through Wednesday, the NHC said.
The NHC says more watches and warnings could come later Saturday.
The system is expected to drench most of Florida with rain, with 6-10 inches possible along the west coast of the state.
Coastal Georgia, including Savannah, and all of the South Carolina Coast, including Charleston, should also expect to see up to 10 inches of rainfall from Tropical Depression 4.
Parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina can expect 6 to 10 inches of rain from Tropical Depression 4, expected to become Tropical Storm Debby later Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024.
The storm does not currently pose a threat to Louisiana.
Tropical Storm Debby would be the fourth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.
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Publish date : 2024-08-03 01:50:00
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