Tropical Storm Debby Recap

The center of Debby made landfall near Steinhatchee, Fla. on the afternoon of June 26.  A few hours later, the system was downgraded to a tropical depression by the National Hurricane Center.  Debby became a post-tropical cyclone, losing its tropical characteristics the following day, June 27.

Debby's main impacts were flooding rainfall in Florida and southeast Georgia, tornadoes and storm surge flooding in the state of Florida.

An unofficial measurement of over 28 inches of total rain was measured from Debby in hard hit Wakulla County, Fla. Surge flooding greater than that from Hurricane Gustav in 2008 was reported there.

Waist-deep water was reported early on June 26 in Downtown Live Oak, Fla. after more than 16 inches of rain swamped the town. Evacuations were also triggered in parts of Lake City, Fla. Flooding shut down both east and westbound Interstate 10 for a time. the westbound closure spanned 21 miles.

Jacksonville, Fla. was drenched with a storm total of 13.78 inches, 12.56 inches falling from June 25-26 alone, setting an all-time two-day rain record, there. June 25 was the wettest June day on record (7.36 inches) in Jacksonville dating to 1871.

The final round of rain in Jacksonville on June 26 triggered numerous water rescues. Water also entered some homes in Jacksonville, and in rural areas northwest of the city.

A combination of storm surge and torrential rain lead to heavy flooding in the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro areas the evening of June 24. Cars were floating and water rescues were performed in Clearwater, and parts of Tampa's exclusive Bayshore Boulevard were closed due to high water.

Apalachicola (12.68 inches), Gainesville (12.02 inches), Cross City (11.85 inches), St. Petersburg (11.55 inches), and Tampa (10.13 inches) all picked up over 10 inches of rain from Debby over 4 days. Debby helped break a new June rainfall record in both Gainesville (old record 14.77 inches in 1965) and Tampa (old record 18.52 inches in 1945).

Rivers such as the Suwannee, St. Mary's and St. Marks were sent into major flood.  Near Macclenny, Fla. the St. Mary's crested early on June 28 about 1.2' above the previous record crest from 1964's Hurricane Dora.

Debby spawned a preliminary count of 21 tornadoes in Florida.  Most of these were on Sunday, June 24. Unfortunately, there was one fatality from a EF2 tornado in Highlands County, Fla.

According to the National Weather Service in Miami, a total of 8 tornaodes were reported in South Florida on June 24 alone, the most in one day there since Oct. 14, 1964 during Hurricane Isbell.

Another seven tornadoes were confirmed in west-central Florida, including a waterspout that came ashore at the Pass-a-Grille Marina in Pinellas County the evening of June 24, rated EF1.

Strong winds kept the Sunshine Skyway Bridge across Tampa Bay closed for just over 48 hours, the longest such closure. The bridge was closed for 8 hours in Sep. 2001 for Tropical Storm Gabrielle.