Tropical storm Debby headed on a meandering path through the Southeast U.S., near the ports of Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C., with forecasters predicted a slow progress over South Carolina into mid-week.
As a category 1 hurricane Debby came ashore on Florida’s Big Bend coast near Steinhatchee around 6 a.m. Monday with winds of 70 knots. The track of Debby was close to that of Hurricane Idalia in August 2023, but produced reported storm surges around 6’ compared to 6’ to 8’ last year when Idalia made landfall.
Rainfall was the major impact on the Florida Gulf coast with some areas around Sarasota and Tampa reporting 12” to 16”. Torrential rain was forecast across Georgia and South Carolina river basins, potentially breaking longtime records.
At least four people were reported dead in the storm from road crashes and falling trees.
The Coast Guard 7th District established an area command post for the regional hurricane response at Coast Guard Air Station Miami in Opa Locka, Fla., for coordinating rescue and recovery efforts across Coast Guard sectors from Key West north to Charleston.
At 8 p.m. Monday the Coast Guard called for South Carolina ports to be open for outbound ship traffic only, with winds up to 39 mph expected within 24 hours. All oceangoing vessels greater than 500 gross tons were advised to get underway.
One of the first missions came Sunday when Coast Guard aircrews rescued two boaters without injury after their 34’ sailboat was disabled and lost its sail 73 miles off Boca Grande, Fla.
A friend of the sailboat crew contacted Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders Saturday around 5 p.m., reporting they had missed a check-in call while sailing from Key West to Tarpon Springs, Fla.
An Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane rescue crew located the disabled vessel with both boaters aboard around 11 a.m. The aircrew vectored in an Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter rescue crew who hoisted and transported the boaters to Air Station Clearwater.
Weather conditions were 15 to 20-foot seas and approximately 50-knot winds with low visibility. An assist came from the aircrew of a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hurricane Hunters WP-3D Orion.
“Some of the most important factors in any search and rescue case is accurate information and safety equipment," said Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hooper, a search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard District Seven. "We received an updated satellite position from the boaters’ friend, which led to them being successfully located. This rescue was a collaborative effort between District Seven and Sector St. Petersburg while Tropical Storm Debby crossed the region.”
