Debby’s Deluge Begins

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Tropical Storm Debby slowed to a crawl over southern Georgia overnight, advancing at a snail’s pace toward a Tuesday afternoon date with the Atlantic Ocean. And while it’s winds were significantly weaker than when the storm made landfall along Florida’s Big Bend yesterday (August 5, 2024), the real threat from this system has always been the flooding.

Given its contorted projected path and slow forward motion – Debby is currently headed northeast at a mere six miles per hour – the storm is expected to dump several feet of rainfall on the South Carolina Lowcountry. That means conditions in the Palmetto State’s low-lying counties – which were already deteriorating as of late Monday – are going to get worse before they get better over the coming 48 hours.

Concerns are especially pronounced in Charleston, the Palmetto State’s most populous city and one with a history of flooding. Meanwhile, several tornados touched down late Monday – including one on Edisto Beach, S.C.

There are also reports – already – of potential dam failures, including a private dam on the Black Creek in Colleton County that could block a critical local transportation artery.

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#SCWX #TropicalStormDebby #DamFailure https://t.co/L8ZKQCTmkI

— FITSNews (@fitsnews) August 6, 2024

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According to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida, Debby was located at latitude 31.9° N, longitude 81.3° W – or approximately 105 miles southwest of Charleston.

“A slow motion toward the east and then north is expected through Thursday night,” forecasters noted. “On the forecast track, the center of Debby is expected to move offshore the coast of Georgia later today, drift offshore through early Thursday, and then move inland over South Carolina on Thursday.”

Giving this slow drift – and turn back inland – the storm is projected to rival 2015’s ‘Floodmageddon’ in terms of participation.

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“Debby is expected to produce potentially historic rainfall totals of 10 to 20 inches, with maximum amounts of 25 inches, bringing areas of catastrophic flooding across portions of southeast Georgia, the eastern half of South Carolina, and southeast North Carolina through Friday.”

Luckily, the direst rainfall projection forecasts from earlier this week have been somewhat scaled back – and the area projected to receive the worst of Debby’s deluge has shifted slightly to the northeast.

Unfortunately, that means the Yadkin-Pee Dee basin – which experienced significant flooding during Hurricane Florence in 2018 – could be in line for even worse flooding this go-round.

Courtesy of NHC, here are the latest rainfall projections associated with Debby…

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Our media outlet has been tracking Debby from the beginning as it evolved from a wave to a depression to a tropical storm… and ultimately the second hurricane of 2024.

Law enforcement agencies were on high alert as Debby’s downpours began dousing the Palmetto Lowcountry.

In Charleston, S.C., city officials have imposed curfews on residents and are blocking ingress to its historic peninsula at certain points. Meanwhile, in Beaufort County, sheriff’s deputies are being inundated with reports from residents related to the storm.

“Since yesterday afternoon, we’ve received dozens of storm-related calls with downed trees, downed power lines, and flooded roads,” a statement from the Beaufort County sheriff’s office noted on Tuesday morning. “Please DO NOT drive through flooded roads. Remember that saying, ‘turn around, don’t drown.’ You never know exactly how deep the flood waters are and they pose danger to you and your safety. We continue to encourage you to stay off the roads unless you must travel.”

In Jasper County – which was bearing the brunt of the early rainfall – sheriff’s deputies reported similar scenes.

“Multiple roads in Jasper County are currently flooded,” a statement from the Jasper County sheriff’s office noted. “We anticipate additional areas to flood as the storm progresses.”

Utility crews were also deploying in anticipation of Debby’s visit to the Palmetto State.

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“Our crews are ready to respond, and we are closely monitoring the storm’s path,” a statement from Dominion Energy noted.

“Heavy rains and flooding can saturate the soil, loosening root systems and toppling trees which can take down poles and overhead lines,” the utility warned. “If you see a downed power line, STAY AWAY, and report it immediately.”

Want to share your experiences with this storm? Feel free to use our tip line, contact us through our social media accounts or tag @FITSNews on X.

Count on our media outlet to keep our audience advised as to the latest developments related to this system and its potential impact on the Palmetto State. For more information on Debby and other developments in the tropics, be sure to check out our new weather page.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Will Folks is the owner and founding editor of FITSNews. Prior to founding his own news outlet, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina, bass guitarist in an alternative rock band and bouncer at a Columbia, S.C. dive bar. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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