Tropical Storm May Become Hurricane

[Vermontn03]

Tropical Storm Brings Rain, Isolated Tornadoes to Florida
Forecasters say Debby could reach hurricane strength


High winds, high tide strike Cedar Key, Fla. Sunday. (AP)

MIAMI (AP) - Slow-moving Tropical Storm Debby's outer bands lashed Florida with rain and kicked up rough surf off Alabama on Sunday, prompting storm warnings for those states and causing at least one death.

The death in Florida was blamed on a tornado spawned by the storm, while a man went missing in the Gulf of Mexico at an Alabama beach.

Coastal Alabama and parts of Florida, including the Panhandle, were under tropical storm warnings. Underscoring the storm's unpredictable nature, forecasters discontinued a tropical storm warning for Louisiana after forecast models indicated Debby wasn't likely to turn west.

Debby already has dumped heavy rain on parts of Florida and spawned some isolated tornadoes, causing damage to homes and knocking down power lines. High winds forced the closure of an interstate bridge that spans Tampa Bay and links St. Petersburg with areas to the southeast. Residents in several counties near the crook of Florida's elbow were urged to leave low-lying neighborhoods because of the threat of flooding.

weather.aol.com/2012/06/22/tropical-storm-debby-could-bring-rain-floods-to-gulf-coast/#page=1%3Ficid

[Vermontn03]

State of Emergency Declared in Florida as Tropical Storm Rages



Severe flooding feared, many northern Florida residents urged to evacuate

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared a statewide emergency because of Tropical Storm Debby.

The statewide emergency in Florida means that the state can waive or suspend certain state laws to respond to the storm. It also means that price-gouging laws take effect.

Tropical Storm Debby drenched Florida with heavy rains and flooded neighborhoods as it was parked nearly stationary Monday over the Gulf of Mexico.

weather.aol.com/2012/06/22/tropical-storm-debby-could-bring-rain-floods-to-gulf-coast/#page=1%3Ficid%3Ficid

[Vermontn03]

Tropical Storm Debby's Slow March Drenches Florida

TAMPA, Fla. — Practically parked off Florida's Gulf Coast since the weekend, Tropical Storm Debby raked the Tampa Bay area with high wind and heavy rain Monday in a drenching that could top 2 feet over the next few days and has already led to flooding.

At least one person was killed Sunday by a tornado spun off by the large storm system in Florida, and Alabama authorities searched for a man who disappeared in the rough surf.

An estimated 35,000 homes and businesses lost electricity. But as of midafternoon, the slow-moving storm had caused only scattered damage, including flooding in some low-lying areas.

The National Hurricane Center reported late Monday that torrential rains and flooding would continue for the next several days across parts of the Florida Panhandle and north Florida.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/25/tropical-storm-debby-gulf_n_1623363.html