See it: Debby’s hurricane-force winds slam Florida at landfall after intensifying over Gulf of Mexico

See it: Debby’s hurricane-force winds slam Florida at landfall after intensifying over Gulf of Mexico

by

Intense storms were building in Horseshoe Beach, Florida, on Monday morning as Hurricane Debby neared landfall.

STEINHATCHEE, Fla. – Florida‘s Nature Coast is experiencing the impact of Hurricane Debby, which made landfall along the Big Bend early Monday morning.

This marks the second hurricane of the season in the Atlantic Basin to reach the U.S. The landfall location is only 15 miles away from where Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Keaton Beach one year ago.

HURRICANE DEBBY MAKES LANDFALL IN FLORIDA AS POWER OUTAGES SKYROCKET TO OVER 300,000

  • Trees were blown over Monday morning in Clearwater, Florida as Hurricane Debby progressed across the state.

    Trees were blown over Monday morning in Clearwater, Florida as Hurricane Debby progressed across the state. (Clearwater Police Department)

  • Waves were crashing ashore Sunday afternoon in North Jetty Park, Florida, as Hurricane Debby approached the Big Bend shorelines.

    Waves were crashing ashore Sunday afternoon in North Jetty Park, Florida, as Hurricane Debby approached the Big Bend shorelines. ( Sarasota County Government)

  • Hurricane Debby has caused significant damage near Caspersen Beach in Venice, Florida. The road is currently off-limits to vehicles, city officials said.

    Hurricane Debby has caused significant damage near Caspersen Beach in Venice, Florida. The road is currently off-limits to vehicles, city officials said. (City of Venice, FL)

  • Hurricane Debby has caused significant damage near Caspersen Beach in Venice, Florida. The road is currently off-limits to vehicles, city officials said.

    Hurricane Debby has caused significant damage near Caspersen Beach in Venice, Florida. The road is currently off-limits to vehicles, city officials said. (City of Venice, FL)

  • A wave crashes ashore as the region prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Debby, which is strengthening as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday in Cedar Key, Florida.

    A wave crashes ashore as the region prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Debby, which is strengthening as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday in Cedar Key, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty)

  • Amateur storm chasers document the arrival of Hurricane Debby, which is strengthening as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday in Cedar Key, Florida, (Joe Raedle/Getty)

  • A sign warns of a storm surge before the arrival of Hurricane Debby, which is strengthening as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday in Cedar Key, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty)

  • Wind and rain kicked up by Hurricane Debby blow through a hotel parking lot on Monday in Chiefland, Florida.

    Wind and rain kicked up by Hurricane Debby blow through a hotel parking lot on Monday in Chiefland, Florida. (Joe Joe Raedle/Getty)

  • Anna Davis and her son Paul Davis look out from the balcony of a hotel at the wind and rain kicked up by Hurricane Debby on Monday in Chiefland, Florida.

    Anna Davis and her son Paul Davis look out from the balcony of a hotel at the wind and rain kicked up by Hurricane Debby on Monday in Chiefland, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty)

  • Flooding in Fort Myers, Florida. Aug. 4, 2024.

    Flooding in Fort Myers, Florida. Aug. 4, 2024. (@SheriffLeeFL / X)

  • Flooding in Fort Myers, Florida. Aug. 4, 2024.

    Flooding in Fort Myers, Florida. Aug. 4, 2024. (@SheriffLeeFL / X)

  • Flooding in Fort Myers, Florida. Aug. 4, 2024.

    Flooding in Fort Myers, Florida. Aug. 4, 2024. (@SheriffLeeFL / X)

  • Flooded businesses.

    Flooded businesses. (WFTX / Fort Meyers)

  • A tow truck assists a stranded driver and their vehicle.

    A tow truck assists a stranded driver and their vehicle. (WFTX / Fort Meyers)

Debby is bringing a life-threatening storm surge, strong winds and record-breaking rainfall to the Sunshine State, causing widespread concerns. 

The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) indicates that Debby is expected to move slowly across the Southeast this week, resulting in extreme amounts of rain. 

The NHC is also forecasting potentially historic rainfall across southeastern Georgia and South Carolina until Friday, leading to widespread catastrophic flash flooding and life-threatening conditions. 

FOX Weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel was strategically positioned in Steinhatchee, Florida, to document the Category 1 storm’s landfall about 7 a.m. ET. 

EXCLUSIVE ANALYSIS: GET LATEST FROM BRYAN NORCROSS

FOX Weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel shows the conditions in Steinhatchee, Florida, early Monday morning as the outer eye wall of Hurricane Debby moves into the area.

FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray was in Perry, Florida, at the time of landfall when Debby’s eyewall moved through Taylor County, where residents were still recovering after Idalia devastated parts of the county.

LIVE TRACKER: DEBBY MAPS, FORECAST CONE, ALERTS

Over 150,000 people are without power in Florida as Hurricane Debby heads towards landfall Monday morning. Braving the storm as Debby closes in, FOX Weather’s Robert Ray shares updates from Perry, Florida.

A hotel visitor in Perry was seen keeping an entry door from swinging open as Debby made landfall with winds estimated at 80 mph. After landfall, power outages skyrocketed to more than 300,000 utility customers in the Sunshine State, according to PowerOutage.us.

SEE IT: DEBBY FLOODS FORT MYERS AREA WHILE INCHING TOWARD FLORIDA LANDFALL

A visitor keeps a hotel door from swinging open as Hurricane Debby makes landfall in Perry, Florida, on Monday.

A visitor keeps a hotel door from swinging open as Hurricane Debby makes landfall in Perry, Florida, on Monday.

(Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg / Getty Images)

Hurricane Debby closed in on Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 1 storm, and early video from Cedar Key shows why storm surge is one of the biggest threats from this tropical cyclone.

As the center of the storm passed Cedar Key, the winds became more onshore as the surge rocked the island city off the northwestern coast of Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico.

WATCH: DEBBY FLOODS TAMPA AREA WHILE INCHING TOWARD FLORIDA LANDFALL

Hurricane Debby approached Florida’s Big Bend area as a Category 1 storm Monday morning. Early footage from Cedar Key illustrates the significant threat of storm surge from this tropical cyclone.

This is only the beginning of Debby’s impact, and the worst is yet to come, the FOX Forecast Center said. The storm is expected to slow to a crawl near the Southeast coast this week. 

Catastrophic flooding will be possible across the coastal plain of southeastern Georgia and South Carolina by midweek in response to historic rainfall topping 20 inches, with local amounts up to 30 inches.