Drew Dixon
As Tropical Storm Debby continues to spin off the Southwest Florida coast in the Gulf of Mexico, the Sunshine State is bracing for heavy rains and increasing winds that are expected to lash the Florida peninsula on Sunday and through to Monday.
As of 8 a.m. Sunday, the center of Debby was due west of Fort Myers in the Gulf waters with sustained winds of 50 mph and gusts up to 60 mph. That’s about 155 miles south, southwest of Tampa. The storm was tracking in a north, northwest trajectory at about 13 mph with landfall expected along Florida’s Big Bend area at 2 a.m. Monday as the system is expected to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane before slams land, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Category 1 means winds of 75 mph or more.
“I’d 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,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a Sunday morning briefing.
Meanwhile, Gulf Coast communities are getting ready for the storm’s aftermath. The storm is projected to generate rain squalls that could produce more than 10 inches of precipitation in some areas.
The Tampa Electric and Emera Company (TECO) is advising residents to monitor updates on Debby and prepare to evacuate if necessary. TECO officials say they’re deploying crews in anticipation of power outages.
“Customers may experience power outages. Tampa Electric offers customers several ways to report and monitor power outages:
– Log into your online account at to report the outage with one click. Visit TampaElectric.com/Outage to report your outage and get restoration status.
– Text OUT to 27079. Text UPDATE or STATUS for updates on your reported outage.
– Call 1-877-588-1010, Tampa Electric’s dedicated toll-free automated power outage phone system.
– Go to Notifications and sign up for free outage notifications by text, email or phone calls.
While the storm may not make landfall until early Monday, the forecast cone shows that after making landfall, Debby may be downgraded to a Tropical Storm again. However, it is expected to move north and northeast through Florida and possibly exit land and into the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday.
Even Florida municipalities on the East Coast are gearing up for emergency operations, which are in full swing now that Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency.
In Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) is already issuing advisories to its customers along the East Coast.
“Our customers rely on us, particularly during severe weather. JEA’s 2,200-plus team members stand ready to mobilize and respond as needed as this tropical system approaches,” said JEA Interim CEO and Managing Director Vickie Cavey.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
