Tropical Storm Debby: What can Alabama expect?
A stronger Tropical Storm Debby continued to track across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida on Sunday.
Debby had 60 mph winds on Sunday morning and was expected to strengthen to a hurricane tonight, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm is expected to make landfall on Monday as a Category 1 hurricane somewhere in Florida’s Big Bend region.
Here’s the hurricane center’s track forecast for Debby as of 7 a.m. Sunday:
Tropical Storm Debby got stronger on Sunday and had 60 mph winds as of 7 a.m. Above is the National Hurricane Center’s forecast track. Debby is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane by tonight and hit Florida’s Big Bend region on Monday.National Hurricane Center
Will Debby have any impact on Alabama?
Southeast Alabama will be the closest to Debby’s path and may get some wind and rain from the storm as it makes landfall, according to the National Weather Service.
But Alabama’s coastal areas will have no direct effects from the storm except for an increase in the rip current risk, according to forecasters.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Mobile stressed that beachgoers not take the rip current risk lightly, saying “PLEASE listen to lifeguards and pay attention to beach flags this week.”
North and central Alabama are not expected to feel any effects from the storm.
There were no tropical watches or warnings in effect for any part of Alabama as of Sunday morning.
Most of Debby’s rain is expected to fall to the east of where the center makes landfall. The weather service’s forecast shows southeast Alabama getting only a half-inch to an inch of rain from the storm:
Southeast Alabama is not expected to get a lot of rain from Debby.NWS
Rain chances for southeast Alabama are expected to climb starting this afternoon, and it will be breezy. The weather service said winds could be 15 mph sustained with gusts as high as 25 mph. Winds on Monday could be higher as Debby makes landfall, sustained at 20 mph and gusting up to 30 mph, according to the weather service.
As for coastal areas, Debby will help keep temperatures very hot, and a heat advisory is in effect for Sunday for the southwest corner of the state:
A heat advisory will be in effect on Sunday for the areas in orange.NWS
The National Weather Service in Mobile said the heat index could rise as high as 110 degrees today in those areas.
Highs today will be in the mid-90s for southwest Alabama:
Here are Sunday’s expected high temperatures.NWS
As Debby approaches tonight there will be an increased risk of rip currents along the Alabama and northwest Florida beaches. A moderate risk will go into effect tonight and last into Tuesday night:
A moderate risk for rip currents will begin tonight for Alabama and northwest Florida coastal areas.NWS
The weather service in Mobile said forecasters are not expecting much from Debby for southwest Alabama outside of increasing waves and rip currents at the beaches.
In fact, Debby will help bring some drier air and lower humidity to southwest Alabama as it closes in on the Florida coast.
Some isolated rain and storms will be possible through Tuesday for southwest Alabama and the western Panhandle.