CHARLOTTE — Tropical Storm Debby will make its second landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday close to Charleston and Georgetown in South Carolina. The storm was over coastal Georgia and the Carolinas Wednesday afternoon.
[ UPDATE: Latest forecast from Severe Weather Center 9 ]
The storm has already swamped homes and turned roads into rivers in The Palmetto State and will slowly make its way across Southern states.
The flood threat is moving into North Carolina, which has already disrupted the first day of school for local school districts.
Debby made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast early Monday as a hurricane. At least six people have died.
[ LINK: TRACKING THE TROPICS ]
Severe Weather Center 9 has laid out a timeline of when we could feel the storm’s impact.
Wednesday: Debby will start to push a little farther into the Atlantic.
This will most likely keep any major rain bands away from Charlotte and confined to the Pee Dee River Valley.
Some eastern counties may get a break. Meanwhile, devastating rainfall will continue from Charleston up to Myrtle Beach.
Thursday: It appears that Debbie will move back inland very early Thursday near Georgetown and Charleston, South Carolina. The worst weather will be in the morning and early to mid-afternoon.
Conditions will ease up by the evening.
Heavy rain and flooding will be the main threat. Charlotte could get more than 2 inches of rain and areas south and east will get more precipitation.
Friday: Debbie is expected to push northeast and up Interstate 95 and the rain will slowly diminish.
VIDEO BELOW: Wednesday night’s forecast update
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Duke Energy prepares for Debby
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Duke Energy crews in Matthews were preparing for the storm on Wednesday.
“Think about having an emergency supply kit on hand that can be a bottle of water, battery bank, things like that that will get your family through a few days without power,” said Logan Stewart, Duke Energy.
The region has experienced soggy conditions, so bringing trees down onto roads, homes, and powerlines won’t take much.
“A lot of times, we see the trees bring down the powerlines, branches bring down the powerlines, can also impact our utility poles and bring those down as well,” Stewart said.
If your area does experience a power outage during the storm, Duke Energy urges customers to report it through their app.
TRACKING DEBBY:
- TIMELINE: Debby brings major flood threat to Carolinas
- TRACKING: Debby’s outer bands move into southern counties
- Hurricane Debby: Storm washes $1M in cocaine ashore
- What you should do now to prepare for hurricanes
- Tropical storm Debby threatens flood-prone Charleston
- 2 local school districts cancel first day of classes ahead of Tropical Storm Debby
- How Charlotte FD’s water rescue team is helping with Tropical Storm Debby efforts
VIDEO: Debby churns across the US Southeast
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Tropical Storm Debby made landfall along the Gulf Coast of Florida as a Category 1 hurricane on Monday.
At least five deaths have been confirmed.
Debby has brought prolonged downpours to the southeastern United States.
The center of Debby was just southeast of Savannah, Georgia, by 2 p.m. Tuesday. The latest forecast says Debby could restrengthen in the ocean and then move inland again near Charleston, South Carolina, by Thursday.
VIDEO: Charlotte airport passengers face travel nightmare
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