Sofia Benavides
(CNN Español) — Florida is under a tropical storm warning and a state of emergency has been declared in anticipation of the arrival of potential tropical storm Debby, which could trigger several days of torrential rains and flooding in the state and the southeastern United States starting this weekend.
The system has maximum winds of 48 km/h and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) designated it Potential Tropical Cyclone Four while it is in the formation stage over parts of Cuba and the southern Bahamas on Friday.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for the Florida Keys south of the Card Sound Bridge, including the Dry Tortugas; the southern coast of the Florida peninsula east of East Cape Sable to the Card Sound Bridge; and the western coast of the Florida peninsula north of Bonita Beach to Aripeka.
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On the NHC’s forecast track, the system is expected to move over Cuba on Friday, cross the Straits of Florida on Saturday, and then move near or over the west coast of Florida Saturday night through Sunday night.
The NHC is asking for monitoring in the rest of the Florida area and the southeastern coast of the United States, from Georgia to North Carolina.
Tropical Storm Debby is forecast. Credit: CNN
Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph (45 km/h) with higher gusts. The disturbance is expected to become a tropical depression on Saturday as it moves through the Straits of Florida, followed by intensification into a tropical storm on Saturday night.
Additionally, strong winds and storm surge could affect the state of Florida. According to the NHC, tropical storm conditions are expected late Saturday and Saturday night in the area between the Florida Keys and the southern Florida peninsula.
Tropical Storm Debby could hit Florida this weekend with torrential rains and winds
The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be inundated by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. Water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.
Regarding rainfall threats from Debby, potential tropical cyclone four is expected to produce rainfall totals of 100 to 200 mm, with maximum rainfall totals of up to 300 mm for parts of Florida and the US southeast coast this weekend through Wednesday morning. This rainfall could lead to flash and urban flooding, with isolated river overflows possible.
