Debby, while not the most powerful tropical system to hit the Southeast, is making a mark as one of the region's most significant rain producers. Forecasters are predicting widespread rainfall of at least a foot from northern Florida to southeastern North Carolina by Friday night. However, some areas, particularly coastal South Carolina and Georgia, could see as much as 30 inches of rain within the same timeframe.
In comparison, Hurricane Florence in 2018 holds the record for the most rainfall in South Carolina history, with 23.63 inches. Charleston, South Carolina, is bracing for over 2 feet of rain in just five days, surpassing its typical summer rainfall from June to August. The city has never experienced more than 18 inches of rain in a 5-day period since records began in 1937.
A similar scenario is unfolding in Savannah, Georgia, where a week's worth of rain could fall in less than a week. Since 1945, Savannah has never recorded more than 16.25 inches of rain in a 5-day period. The most prolific rain-producing storm in Georgia was 1994's Alberto, which brought 27.85 inches of rain.
If rainfall totals approach the upper end of the forecast at 2.5 feet, not only will statewide and daily records be shattered, but life-threatening flash flooding could occur. The continuous heavy rain is expected to saturate the soil and cause waterways to swell, leading to potential flooding in low-lying coastal areas. Debby's winds may also drive storm surge flooding, exacerbating the situation with heavy rain causing inland flooding.
