Debby is now a post-tropical cyclone, five days after its first landfall as a hurricane in Florida and the day after it made a second landfall as a tropical storm in South Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters announced the 5 a.m. advisory on Debby would be the agency's last on the storm that brought historic rainfall from Florida to the Carolinas. The Weather Prediction Center will provide updates on the system as long as it remains a flood threat, along with local National Weather Service offices.
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Elsewhere in the tropics, a new tropical wave in the Atlantic is likely to become a tropical depression early next week as it approaches the Lesser Antilles and Caribbean Sea.
If it does become a named storm, it will be Ernesto.
Tropical Storm Debby made its second landfall just before 2 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, near Bulls Bay, South Carolina. Sustained winds were 50 mph.
Debby's first landfall was as a hurricane in Steinhatchee, Florida, around 7 a.m. Monday, Aug. 5. Sustained winds were 80 mph.
Here's the latest update from the NHC as of 8 p.m. Aug. 9:
Debby weakens into post-tropical cyclone
Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph, with higher gusts. Some increase in winds are possible as the system transitions to an extratropical cyclone, according to the 5 a.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center. That will be the last advisory from the Hurricane Center on Debby.
Debby is expected to produce an additional 1 to 3 inches of rainfall, with locally higher amounts, across portions of the coastal Carolinas today, with areas of considerable flooding expected.
From portions of northern Virginia through Upstate New York, 2 to 4 inches of rainfall, with local amounts to 6 inches, are expected through Friday night.
For portions of Northern New England, 1 to 3 inches of rain with locally higher amounts are expected through Friday night.
Spaghetti models for Debby
Special note about spaghetti models:Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts.
Colorado State University predicts 85% chance for hurricane activity Aug. 6-19
CSU forecasters predict there is an 85% chance for hurricane activity from Aug. 6 through Aug. 19.
"The primary threat formation area for major hurricanes in early- to mid-August is in the tropical Atlantic east of the Lesser Antilles."
The next two-week forecast will be released Aug. 20 for Aug. 20-Sept. 2.
On Aug. 6, CSU updated its seasonal forecast for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, reducing the predicted number of named storms from 25 to 23 but maintaining its forecast for 12 hurricane and six major hurricanes.
What else is out there and how likely is it to strengthen?
Tropical wave: Shower activity associated with a tropical wave located about 900 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands has become a little better organized since yesterday.
Slow development of this system is possible during the next couple of days while it moves westward to west-northwestward across the central tropical Atlantic.
Conditions are expected to become more conducive for development thereafter, and a tropical depression is likely to form by early next week while the system approaches and then moves near or over the Lesser Antilles. The system is forecast to continue moving generally west-northwestward and could approach portions of the Greater Antilles by the middle part of next week.
- Formation chance through 48 hours: low, 10 percent.
- Formation chance through 7 days: high, 70 percent.
What do the colored areas on the NOAA map mean?
The hatched areas on a tropical outlook map indicate "areas where a tropical cyclone — which could be a tropical depression, tropical storm or hurricane — could develop," said National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome.
The colors make it visibly clear how likely a system could develop with yellow being low, orange medium and red high.
The National Hurricane Center generally doesn't issue tropical advisories until a there is a named storm, but there is an exception.
"If a system is near land and there is potential for development, the National Hurricane Center won't wait before it issues advisories, even if the system hasn't become an actual storm. This gives residents time to prepare," Rhome said.
Who is likely to be impacted?
It's too early at this time to determine if there will be any impact to Florida or the U.S. from the tropical wave in the Atlantic.
Forecasters urge all residents to continuemonitoring the tropics and to always be prepared. That advice is particularly important for what is expected to be a very active hurricane season.
NOAA updates 2024 hurricane season forecast
NOAAhas updated its prediction for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, more than two months and four named storms after itsfirst prediction was released in May.
This season could "rank among the busiest on record," NOAA announced Thursday, Aug. 8, while updating its prediction on the number of named storms slightly lower but increasing the chance for anabove-normal season to 90%.
Here's the latest forecast:
- Named storms: 17-24
- Hurricanes: 8-13
- Major hurricanes: 4-7
- Above normal season: 90%
- Near normal season: 10%
Weather watches and warnings issued in Florida
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When is the Atlantic hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
When is the peak of hurricane season?
The peak of the season is Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center.
National Hurricane Center map: What are forecasters watching now?
Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center include:
Interactive map: Hurricanes, tropical storms that have passed near your city
Excessive rainfall forecast
What's next?
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