US coast braces for impact as tropical storm strengthens into a hurricane with urgent storm surge warning issued – here’s where it’ll make landfall

Tropical Storm Debby has been classified as a Category 1 hurricane by the National Hurricane Center and continues to head toward the Florida coastline.

The agency issued a storm warning at 11 p.m., warning that the hurricane could reach winds of up to 75 mph (120 km/h) and pose a “major flood hazard” to the southeastern U.S. this week.

A hurricane warning is now in effect for the Gulf Coast of Florida, from the Suwannee River to the Ochlockonee River.

Hurricane Debby is likely to threaten several areas of Florida with flooding, but the exact timing of the rainfall is not yet known.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall at 8 a.m. Monday in Big Bend, Florida, an area of ​​swamps and forests that is also home to Tallahassee, a city of more than 200,000 people.

“Debby is expected to move slowly across northern Florida and southern Georgia Monday and Tuesday, and be near the Georgia coast Tuesday evening,” the advisory said.