Tropical Storm Debby is rapidly intensifying as it barrels through the Gulf of Mexico, heading straight for Florida's coastal regions. According to the National Hurricane Center's latest update at 8 a.m. Sunday, Debby is situated approximately 155 miles southwest of Tampa and 205 miles south-southwest of Cedar Key.
Moving north-northwest at 13 mph, Debby's maximum sustained winds have increased to 60 mph, up from 50 mph just hours earlier. The storm is expected to escalate to hurricane status before making landfall in Florida's Big Bend region.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a stern warning during a Sunday morning briefing, stating, \"I would urge all Floridians to be cognizant of the fact that we are going to have a hurricane hit the state, probably a Category 1, but it could be a little bit more powerful than that.\"
The governor emphasized the severe impacts residents should prepare for, including significant rainfall, widespread saturation, flooding events, and potential power outages. \"We are absolutely going to see a lot of rainfall. We are going to see a lot of saturation. We are going to see flooding events. That is going to happen. There is also going to be power outages,\" DeSantis warned.
As Debby continues to strengthen, residents in the affected areas are advised to stay informed through local updates and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
