Tropical Storm Debby, which has already released over a foot of rain in various southern regions, made its second landfall in the U.S. early Thursday as it re-entered South Carolina. According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm, with winds of 50 mph, made landfall near Bulls Bay around 2 a.m. ET.
Initially, Debby was a Category 1 hurricane when it first struck near Steinhatchee in Florida’s Big Bend area at 7 a.m. on Monday. National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan noted in a Wednesday update that the main concern remains the heavy rainfall associated with the storm.
Reports indicate that there have been six fatalities attributed to the storm, with five occurring in Florida and one in Georgia. Most of the deaths resulted from falling trees.
On Thursday morning, tornado warnings were issued for parts of North Carolina. In Wilson County, officials reported a tornado that touched down around 3 a.m., causing extensive damage to Springfield Middle School in Lucama and affecting several homes and a church. Later, Wilson County officials confirmed one death linked to the tornado, with a search-and-rescue team discovering the body of an unidentified individual on Lloyd Road.
Superintendent Lane Mills of Wilson County Schools expressed his heartbreak over the damage to the school, acknowledging those who offered help and support.
The storm is moving slowly and is not expected to exit North Carolina until Thursday night or Friday, with continued weakening as it moves inland. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper warned of the potential for significant rainfall and severe flash flooding, predicting that some areas could see as much as 15 inches of rain.
As of Thursday, flood alerts are in effect for 22 million individuals across nearly 1,000 miles, extending from the coastal Carolinas to Canada. Regions including Wilmington, North Carolina, and up to Roanoke, Virginia, face a high risk for flash flooding, with an additional 4 to 8 inches of rain forecasted in certain areas.
A tornado watch remains in place for much of eastern North Carolina into southeastern Virginia, putting approximately 3 million people at risk for tropical tornadoes.
Despite the storm’s landfall, its impacts are widespread; weather conditions remain affected from Florida through the Carolinas and into the mid-Atlantic states. The community of Parrish, Florida, reported nearly 19 inches of rain by early Tuesday, while Sarasota received a foot of rain, prompting hundreds of rescues.
An EF-1 tornado linked to the storm damaged roofs in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, on Tuesday, affecting 29 homes. Another EF-1 tornado struck Edisto Island on Monday, delivering 90 mph winds and causing further destruction.
Debby is forecasted to shift northward across eastern South Carolina and central North Carolina on Thursday night, before accelerating toward the Northeast on Friday and eventually reaching Atlantic Canada on Saturday. The storm is expected to weaken to a tropical depression later in the day on Thursday.