Hurricane Debby makes landfall in Florida. What Massachusetts can expect later this week

Seth Jacobson, USA TODAY NETWORK - New England
·2 min read
17

Hurricane Debby made landfall on Monday as a Category 1 storm in Florida, according to the National Weather Service and is expected to move into Georgia by mid-afternoon.

The National Weather Service noted the hurricane will weaken by Tuesday night and could stall off the coast of South Carolina, bringing torrential rain to the state.

It's already impacting flights out of Logan Airport, but as Monday morning, forecasters say Massachusetts is not "in the path" in the storm as it's predicted to move up the coast.

Meteorologist Candice Hrencecin of the National Weather Service in Norton, MA told USA Today Network Monday morning that the path of Debby "could change a bit," noting currently, Massachusetts "is not in the path" of the hurricane.

New England could see rain from Debby on Friday

However, she added that the Commonwealth could get "lots of heavy rain" as a result of the hurricane, but stressed that wouldn't arrive until approximately Friday, Aug. 9.

"It's a little far out right now to say," Hrencecin said of the storm.

In a statement, AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said, echoed Hrencecin's prediction that Massachusetts and the rest of the northeast area of the country could potentially be affected by Hurricane Debby with excessive rainfall.

"As southerly steering breezes pick up later this week, Debby or some of Debby's tropical moisture may be drawn north into the mid-Atlantic, central Appalachians and New England. Should this occur, enough rain to at least lead to travel disruptions is likely," AccuWeather said in a press release. "However, in the case that Debby moves north as a tropical storm or rainstorm, local to widespread flooding problems could occur."

The predicted track of impact for Hurricane Debby, according to AccuWeather.
The predicted track of impact for Hurricane Debby, according to AccuWeather.

How are hurricanes measured?

You've probably heard hurricanes referred to by categories, a metric for ranking how strong they are. According to the National Weather Service, here's how they work:

  • Category 1: Winds of 74-95 mph, causing minimal damage like flooding and uprooted trees.

  • Category 2: Winds of 96-110 mph, causing moderate damage like coastal flooding, water and electricity shortages, and uprooted trees and signs.

  • Category 3: Winds of 111-129 mph, causing extensive damage.

  • Category 4: Winds of 130-156 mph, causing catastrophic damage like loss of roof structure and exterior walls, downed power poles and uprooted trees.

  • Category 5: Winds of 157 mph or higher, the worst-case scenario, causing devastating damage.

How long does hurricane season last?

The season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 in Massachusetts and the rest of New England.

This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: Hurricane Debby Path: What Massachusetts can expect later this week