At a Glance
- Water rescues were ongoing Friday.
- Westfield, Pennsylvania, was especially hard hit by flooding.
- More than 2,500 flights were canceled or delayed at Northeast airports.
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The remnants of Hurricane Debby flooded homes and sent rescuers scrambling to save people in parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast Friday.
Heavy rainfall and severe weather also caused widespread travel delays and power outages as the storm moved across the U.S. for one last day.
At least eight deaths as of Friday were linked with Debby's slow crawl that started with landfall as a Category 1 hurricane Monday.
Here are our live updates from Friday:
(5:37 p.m. ET) 'They Had To Bring In The Military'
While waters are starting to recede in some areas, parts of northern Pennsylvania and southern New York in particular will have a long cleanup.
New York Gov. Kathy Holchul declared a state of emergency for the entire state.
John Anderson, a resident of Wellsville, New York, described the day there in an interview with The Weather Channel:
"First thing that happened, there's so many volunteers. This is a rural area south of Buffalo on the border. So it's a two state, five county, six county area. A lot of volunteers for the fire department, the ambulance corps, they went out, they were saving people, they were saving animals.
All of this while hundreds of bales of hay are going by, sheds, trees are uprooted. You could see a lot of debris from people's basem*nts just going by.
You knew the severity of it.
Roads just started flooding so quick you couldn't pass through, but eventually ... it got so much they had to bring in the military."
(5:09 p.m. ET) Florida Neighborhood Still Under Water, Days After Debby
All 86 homes in Sarasota County's Laurel Meadow neighborhood were flooded by Debby's torrential rainfall earlier this week, according to local media outlet Bay News 9.
Residents said water kept rising even after the storm passed. Many have several feet of water in their homes.
They say this never happened before, including during Hurricane Ian two years ago. It's not clear exactly what caused water to back up in the neighborhood.
“We’re not in a river or a riverway or an overflow. We’re (about) 30 feet above elevation. We should be OK out here," resident Jeff Schermerhorn told Bay News 9.
Debby dumped as much as 18 inches of rain in some spots nearby.
(4:29 p.m. ET) Debby's Double Whammy In South Carolina Lowcountry
Debby dealt a one-two punch to the town of Moncks Corner, South Carolina. First came a tornado, then a flash flood emergency.
See what it looked like here.
(4:19 p.m. ET) 'We've Got A Helicopter Flying Around Right Now'
Toys, sheds, tires, trailers, propane tanks and and other items are rushing through floodwaters in Westfield, Pennsylvania.
"It's crazy seeing everybody's stuff floating down the river," resident Julienne Manthe told us on the phone a few minutes ago.
Her boyfriend, Josh Potter, shot video earlier of a rescue near his home.
"I saw the guy come out and grab his dog ... and I'm like, 'oh no.' The dog was freaking out," Potter said.
"It's just I guess thankful that the rescue team was there and helped him out and everything and everybody made it out."
Potter paused for a second as noise was heard outside.
"We've got a helicopter flying over right now," he said.
(3:56 p.m. ET) 'Westfield PA Needs Your Help'
More scenes of flooding and rescues are emerging from northern Pennsylvania.
"Lots of people have lost their homes at least the(y) have flooded houses," resident Abby Boka said in a facebook post.
She added that an evacuation point has been set up at a local high school, and people will be in need of supplies.
(3:28 p.m. ET) Debby Spawned Rare Intense Tropical Tornadoes
From weather.com senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman:
A National Weather Service storm survey rated the deadly early Thursday morning tornado near Lucama, North Carolina, EF3, with peak estimated winds of 140 mph.
That's a rare intensity for a tornado generated in a tropical storm, hurricane, or remnant of such.
According to statistics compiled by the Storm Prediction Center, only five of 1,782 so-called "tropical tornadoes" from 1995 through 2023 were rated as strong as F/EF3.
Just a month ago, however, another EF3 tornado was spawned from the remnant of Beryl near Mt. Vernon, Indiana. That was one of 65 tornadoes Beryl produced from Texas to New York.
Typically, tropical systems lack the combination of extreme instability and wind shear needed to generate supercell thunderstorms capable of these stronger tornadoes.
But that hasn't been the case so far this year with either hurricane that made U.S. landfall.
(2:51 p.m. ET) 'We Cannot Guarantee' Your Safety
Some residents in north central Pennsylvania's Hepburn and Lycoming townships are being told to "evacuate ASAP." The order is due to quickly rising water in nearby Lycoming Creek.
"If you do not leave you(r) house at this point, we can NOT guarantee that we will be able to get out of your house safely," Hepburn Township Volunteer Fire Company said in a social media post. "Please take this seriously!"
(2:07 p.m. ET) A 'Startling Situation' In Westfield, Pennsylvania
Photos and video from Westfield, Pennsylvania, show water surrounding homes and rushing under a bridge.
One facebook post reads: "This happened so fast."
Another: "This is a startling situation!"
(1:42 p.m. ET) More Than 2,500 Flights Impacted By Debby's Remnants
Thousands of people trying to fly into or out of airports in the Northeast face extensive delays and cancellations, according to airline tracker FlightAware.com. Airports in the nation with the most flight issues so far today include:
-John F. Kennedy International, 151 flights canceled, 297 delayed
-LaGuardia, 139 canceled, 412 delayed
-Newark Liberty, 136 canceled, 290 delayed
-Philadelphia International, 77 canceled, 271 delayed
-Reagan National, 54 canceled, 307 delayed
-Boston Logan, 53 canceled, 372 delayed
(1:15 p.m. ET) Flooding Reportedly Traps People On Roofs In Northern Pennsylvania
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There are reports of people being lifted off their roofs by helicopters in Westfield, Pennsylvania. The area is located in Tioga County near the border with New York.
Several water rescues have been reported today as Debby's rainfall moves northward.
(12:23 p.m. ET) Heads Up, NYC Commuters
The New York City Emergency Management Department issued a travel advisory warning of traffic issues and delays this afternoon and evening.
From weather.com graphics meteorologist Briana Waxman:
New York City should start getting thunderstorms right at rush hour, between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., and the I-95 corridor will be a mess tonight.
Damaging winds and even tornadoes are possible.
We break it all down for you here.
(11:51 p.m. ET) North Carolina Governor Warns It’s Not Over
From weather.com senior editor Dave Siff:
Although the remnants of Debby have moved into the Northeast, the governor of North Carolina is warning residents the storm’s effects aren’t over.
“Though North Carolina has not seen the sustained, damaging high winds that come with a hurricane, this storm brought us slow-moving, relentless rainfall,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a Friday morning briefing. “Multiple river gauges are at major flood stage, and additional flooding could occur this weekend and early next week.”
Kings Grant, just north of Wilmington, got the most rain in North Carolina from Debby, a whopping 15.25 inches.
Debby killed two people in North Carolina during its trek through the state as a tropical storm.
(11:25 a.m. ET) Federal Emergency Approved In Vermont
The White House this morning approved an emergency declaration for Vermont, paving the way for federal aid and assistance.
That’s in addition to emergencies already declared in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
(10:51 a.m. ET) NASA Rainfall Map Illustrates Debby's Deluge
We’ve been talking for days about Debby’s rain, with more than 19 inches falling in parts of Florida, more than 18 in South Carolina and well over a foot in several other spots across the Southeast.
This map just released by NASA shows the full scope over a five-day period, with the darker colors representing the highest rainfall amounts.
(10:22 a.m. ET) Motorist Rescued From River Near Charlottesville, Virginia
Three cars were stuck in floodwaters near a bridge over the South River in McMullen, Virginia. One was swept into the river and a person inside had to be rescued, according to local emergency management officials.
McMullen is in Greene County, about 27 miles north of Charlottesville.
(9:55 a.m. ET) Power Outages Spread
Power outages are ticking higher from North Carolina up through Pennsylvania.
PowerOutage.us shows more than 100,000 customers without power across five mid-Atlantic states, with Virginia and Pennsylvania leading the pack.
Strong storms capable of toppling trees and powerlines and spawning tornadoes are expected in the region throughout the day today.
(9:28 a.m. ET) Storm Surge Swamps Annapolis
Severe flooding has overtaken City Dock in downtown Annapolis, as a nearly 3-foot storm surge from Debby submerges the area. Known for its frequent flooding, parking lots and walkways in the historic district are now completely underwater. Footage from local news outlets show life-sized statues of children in water up to their necks.
The surge has reached storefronts, forcing business owners to pump out water while city workers put up road closure signs.
(8:57 a.m. ET) DC, Maryland, New York Face Travel Interruptions
A ground stop has been issued at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as a severe thunderstorm and tornado threat passes through the area. Several flights can be seen circling in “holding patterns” on FlightAware.com
Flights out of LaGuardia Airport are facing average delays of more than an hour (and rising) due to inclement weather.
In Montgomery County, Maryland, the MARC train has been halted as crews work to remove trees and debris from the tracks.
(8:19 a.m. ET) Flooding Stalls Traffic In South Carolina
Officials are urging drivers to avoid parts of Interstate 26 outside of Charleston after major flooding overnight left stretches of the road underwater. Images from SCDOT show cars and trucks backed up as law enforcement works to move traffic away from the road.
Following Debby’s South Carolina landfall Thursday, crews today are beginning around-the-clock work to repair roads and address damage as floodwaters recede, while preparing for more possible flooding in the northern part of the state.
(8:03 a.m. ET) Where We’re Watching: Vermont
Post-Tropical Cyclone Debby will bring heavy rainfall and a likely chance of flash flooding to parts of Vermont that are certainly no recent stranger to those impacts.
Just four weeks ago, the remnants of Hurricane Beryl swamped the area with catastrophic floods, contributing to at least two deaths.
Now, the National Weather Service is warning of high rain totals expected in the region throughout the day, noting that areas recently damaged by floods will be especially vulnerable.
Flood warnings are in effect across Vermont. Track the latest forecast for the Northeast here.
(7:32 a.m. ET) Waters Rise In DC, Maryland, Virginia
Flash flooding is hitting parts of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia as heavy thunderstorms sweep through the region. The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for northern Maryland (including Baltimore), where 1 to 3 inches of rain have already fallen.
The intense rainfall is swamping creeks, streams, low-lying spots and flood-prone roads, creating dangerous conditions as residents begin their morning commute.
A tornado watch is in effect for the entire D.C. metro area.
(7:05 a.m. ET) Debby To Leave Behind Torrents Of Mosquitoes
As Debby moves out of the South, residents may notice an unfortunate new challenge in the aftermath of so much rainfall: an influx of mosquitoes.
Standing water left behind in flooded streets, homes and waterways creates the perfect conditions for the pesky insects to breed and hatch, which means the states in Debby’s wake could soon be buzzing with them.
In Charleston, pest control workers are already being swarmed as they work. Charleston County’s Mosquito Control crews have started surveying for larvae and unhatched eggs.
In Pasco County, Florida, experts started to see an explosion of mosquitoes shortly after Debby left the Tampa area. To help keep the population at bay, they’re urging everyone to drain any standing water in their yards, including plant pots, buckets or even pet bowls.
(6:45 a.m. ET) What Is A Post-Tropical Cyclone?
Debby's current status as a post-tropical cyclone means the storm has lost some of its warmth and humidity – also known as its tropical power. This happens when the system runs into cooler, drier air and changes into something else. Even though it’s not technically a tropical cyclone anymore, a post-tropical cyclone can still bring flooding rain, strong winds of up to 40 mph and isolated tornadoes.
In Debby’s case, our meteorologists watched for the system to interact with a cold front or the jet stream to signal this transition.
(6:15 a.m. ET) Debby’s Death Toll Rises
Eight people have died in storm-related incidents caused by Debby.
A woman in Rockingham County, North Carolina, was killed when a tree fell on her home. She was 78 years old.
Also in North Carolina, a tornado rocked the town of Lucama, leveling a man’s house while he slept inside. His neighbors say he was in his 60s.
In Florida, the storm claimed the lives of a 13-year-old boy in Levy County, a semi truck driver in Hillsborough County, and a 38-year-old woman and 12-year-old boy in a Dixie County car accident.
Other victims include a 19-year-old in Georgia, a man and his dog who tried to ride out the hurricane on a boat in Gulfport, Florida.
(5:30 a.m. ET) Overnight Flash Floods In South Carolina
Heavy rain pounded Berkeley and Dorchester counties overnight, causing dangerous flash flooding, most notably in Moncks Corner, where high-water rescues are underway. Officials report that 2 to 3 feet of fast-moving water is moving through the city, flooding homes and overtaking roads. Residents are urged to get to higher ground.
The National Weather Service issued alerts at around 1 a.m. EDT, warning of a “particularly dangerous” and “life-threatening situation.” Parts of South Carolina have seen more than a foot and a half of rain since Debby arrived. The flash flood emergency has been downgraded to a flash flood warning in the area, but more flooding is still expected in other parts of the state.
Weather.com reporter Jan Childs covers breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between.
