Tropical Storm Debby has made a second landfall near Bulls Bay, South Carolina as Debby slowly moves up the Eastern Seaboard and unleashes a dangerous flood threat for millions of Americans.
The death toll from Debby has risen to six after the latest news of a boater in Gulfport, Florida, was killed while trying to ride out the storm.
President Joe Biden has approved emergency declarations for Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida.
These declarations authorize FEMA to provide federal assistance to save lives, protect property and ensure public health and safety.
After making landfall along Florida’s Big Bend on Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane, Debby dumped more than 20 inches of rain, sent feet of storm surge flooding into Southwest Florida and knocked out power to more than 300,000 customers in the Sunshine State at the height of the storm.
However, Debby is far from done.
Tropical Storm Warnings remain in effect on the South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina coasts.
Winds will gradually increase through the day, with 40-60 mph gusts impacting the coast, particularly from Myrtle Beach through Cape Fear, North Carolina, through Thursday.
Heavy rainfall across portions of eastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina is expected to persist through Friday, broadening areas of considerable flooding, the NHC said.
NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center has issued a Level 4 flood risk, the highest threat on its scale through Thursday, in parts of northeastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina.
The risk will only slowly shift north each day as Debby slowly meanders near the US East Coast.
On Thursday, Debby will move inland, bringing with it the worst of the flooding.
The current forecast is for widespread rainfall of 3-5 inches, with localized amounts up to 8 inches, affecting the Midlands of South Carolina and extending into east-central North Carolina, including Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte and Fayetteville.
A few tornadoes are likely along and east of Interstate 95 in North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. Numerous rivers are expected to rise into moderate to major flood stages.
Starting Friday, the storm will finally get a kick north, and heavy rain will spread all the way into the Northeast, the FOX Forecast Center said.
Pockets of significant flooding will be possible Friday and Saturday from the Carolinas all the way into Maine.