TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Debby reached Florida’s Big Bend early today, bringing the potential for catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surge as it slowly moved across the northern part of the state. Forecasters warned that record rain could hit coastal Georgia and South Carolina in the coming days as the storm moves east.

The storm made landfall near Steinhatchee, a small northern Florida community of fewer than 1,000 residents on Florida’s Gulf Coast, as a Category 1 storm. The storm had top sustained winds of 75 mph and was moving north-northeast at 10 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The storm made landfall in one of Florida’s least populated counties, but forecasters warned that heavy rain could cause catastrophic flooding in Florida, South Carolina and Georgia.

The biggest threat to Florida is expected to be storm surge, with flooding of 6 to 10 feet expected in parts of the area near Big Bend, according to hurricane expert John Cangialosi of the National Hurricane Center.

“That part of the coast is a very vulnerable spot.” he said today.

Some areas, including Sarasota and Manatee counties, have already received 25 to 30 centimeters of rain.

“We expect many rivers and streams to reach major flood levels” Kevin Guthrie, the state’s emergency management director, said:

About 214,000 customers in Florida were without power this morning, according to PowerOutage.com. In Marion County, inland and south of Gainesville, sheriff’s officials said in a Facebook post today that crews were responding to reports of downed power lines and trees falling onto roads and homes.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said about 17,000 electricians were working to restore power. He warned residents in affected areas to wait until conditions were safe.

“When the water rises and the streets can be flooded, that’s dangerous.” DeSantis said. “Don’t try to pass through here. We don’t want traffic accidents to increase. Don’t tempt fate, don’t try to pass through these flooded streets.”

Hurricane Debby took a path “It looks a lot like Idalia 11 months ago,” DeSantis said. Idalia made landfall near Keaton Beach, Florida, on August 30, 2023, with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph. Keaton Beach is about 20 miles north of Steinhatchee. He noted fewer power outages in Debby.

Images shared on social media by Cedar Key Fire Rescue earlier today showed floodwaters rising on streets in the city south of where the storm made landfall. “It’s coming at a pretty slow pace.” the post said:

Debby was forecast to move eastward over northern Florida and then stall over coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina, battering the region with record-breaking rainfall totals of up to 30 inches through Tuesday morning and Saturday. Flooding is expected to be especially severe in low-lying areas near the coast, including Savannah, Georgia; Hilton Head, South Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina.

Savannah officials said a month’s worth of rain could fall on the region in four days if the system slows down in the region.

Debby is the fourth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, following Tropical Storm Alberto, Hurricane Beryl, and Tropical Storm Chris, which formed in June. In the eastern Pacific, tropical storms Carlotta, Daniel, and Emilia churned over the ocean but did not threaten land.

Residents retreat to their homes as storm passes

“We’re trying to keep everything from flying away right now.” “The family of Sheryl Horne, who owns Shell Island Fish Camp on the Wakulla River in St. Marks, Florida, where some customers have moved their boats inland,” she said.

The sparsely populated Big Bend region in the Florida Panhandle was also affected by Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall last year as a Category 3 hurricane.

“I’m used to storms and I’m used to cleaning up after storms” Horne said.

“We’re all left hanging here – some of us are left,” Dawn Perez said by phone today as Hurricane Debby’s eyewall approached her home in Perry, Fla. Perez, the town’s tourism department manager, said she had a new roof installed after Hurricane Idalia ripped hers off in August 2023.

“The winds are so bad – I’ve already lost my porch door and a tree and the whole place is blowing away.” said Perez.

Northeast coast also braces for storm conditions

Emergency managers in New England and New York were monitoring the storm’s path for debris to reach their states. Northeastern states including New York and Vermont have faced heavy rain and thunderstorms in recent weeks and were still coping with flooding and saturated ground.

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Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama. Jake Offenhartz contributed from New York. Jeff Martin reported from Atlanta and Freida Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.