Harvey Weinstein indicted again in New York after conviction overturned
(NEW YORK) — A New York grand jury has indicted disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein on Thursday, prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office said in court.
Weinstein — who is recuperating after emergency heart surgery — was not present, and prosecutors asked the judge to set a date for his arraignment.
Judge Curtis Farber ordered the city corrections department to house Weinstein in the Bellevue Hospital prison ward, if medically necessary.
“Inattention at Rikers carries very real risks. He could find himself again in crisis,” Farber said.
The new indictment remains sealed until arraignment, so the charges are not yet known. As ABC News previously reported, prosecutors presented evidence of three alleged sex assaults from varying time periods that were not part of his previous case.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office previously presented evidence to the grand jury over an alleged sexual assault that occurred sometime in a four-month time period between late 2005 and mid-2006 in a lower Manhattan residential building, according to a transcript of a court hearing last week.
Prosecutors also indicated they were aware of two other potential offenses: a sexual assault in May 2016 in a hotel in Tribeca and a potential sexual assault that occurred at the Tribeca Grand hotel.
Thursday’s hearing was held days after Weinstein was rushed from Rikers Island, where he is being held, to Bellevue Hospital for emergency heart surgery after experiencing chest pains, his representatives told ABC News.
His trial is tentatively scheduled for this fall.
Weinstein has denied any wrongdoing and has said his sexual encounters were consensual.
The indictment comes months after the New York Court of Appeals overturned his 2020 rape conviction.
In a scathing 4-3 opinion in April, the court found the trial judge “erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes.”
The court said that testimony “served no material non-propensity purpose” and “portrayed defendant in a highly prejudicial light.”
Weinstein has also appealed a conviction on sex offenses in Los Angeles. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison there.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(MAUI, Hawaii.) — Thursday marks one year since the start of the devastating wildfires in West Maui that left 100 people dead or missing, destroyed thousands of structures and parched the local landscape.
The historic town of Lahaina, the former capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, was damaged beyond recognition in the weeklong series of fires. A community plagued by a housing crisis and power struggles with the tourism industry were among the issues tested in the aftermath of the wildfire.
There has been much progress in the year since the fires, and yet a lot remains to be done, according to community leaders who have witnessed the transformation in West Maui. The emotional scars are especially raw, and affordable housing within and surrounding the burn zone remains a central issue, Maui County council member Keani Rawlins-Fernandez told ABC News.
Maui – and the Hawaiian Islands as a whole – have been facing a housing crisis that predates the wildfire tragedy. The destruction highlighted the state’s ongoing struggles with high housing costs, lack of affordable housing options, and low wages.
These are the major developments in West Maui in the year since the wildfires:
Reopening of tourism
West Maui reopened for tourism on Oct. 8, just two months after the outbreak of the wildfires. The decision was considered controversial, with business owners calling for economic relief and a return to normalcy and residents insisting they needed more time to heal and recover.
The initial reopening entailed that Lahaina would remain closed to the public, but the decision still sparked outrage from some members in the community, thousands of whom remained displaced and were taking up refuge at West Maui hotels, ABC News previously reported. Many had not yet been allowed back to the burn sites to survey the damage of their homes and feared that they would be kicked out of hotels to allow paying customers to stay in their place, community members told ABC News.
Tourism in West Maui opened before survivors of the fire were able to secure housing — exacerbating an affordable housing crisis that existed long before the fires, said Rawlins-Fernandez. Rent prices for vacation rentals rose astronomically as a result of the reopening, and at least 1,400 people have left Maui in the past year, she added.
Days before the reopening for tourism, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green stated that while he was sympathetic to those who were not ready for visitors to return, Maui and the state needed the money that the tourists bring. The number of visitors to Maui plummeted by 70% following the fires, The Associated Press reported in September.
“On October 8, 2023, we welcomed the return of visitors to West Maui to support Maui’s economy and keep our people employed so they can continue to live on Maui and recover,” Green said in an emailed statement to ABC News. “We continue to encourage respectful travel, supporting local businesses and participation in volunteer opportunities that mālama (give back to) Hawai‘i. With targeted efforts and campaigns showcasing Maui’s readiness to welcome visitors, we are committed to supporting the state and Maui’s economic recovery and hope to see continuous improvements over the upcoming months.”
In Maui, 70% of every dollar is generated directly or indirectly by the visitor industry, according to the Maui Economic Development Board.
But the community rallied, and locals groups continue to work tirelessly to find affordable housing for residents — a project that will undoubtedly be long-term, Rawlins-Fernandez said.
Reopening of key locations in West Maui
By December, some of the most iconic locations in West Maui began to reopen.
Places like Banyan Tree Park, the Lahaina public library and the opening of an elementary school marked positive milestones as the arduous cleanup and recovery process continued.
But just four months before, such swift progress may have seemed unthinkable.
When the fires broke out, Timothy Griffin, the County of Maui arborist who cares for the historic banyan tree, said he heard through “coconut wireless,” the island’s unofficial phone tree in which information spreads like wildfire, that the 150-year-old tree that often serves as the symbol of Lahaina had been destroyed to ash.
Drone footage that showed browned and curled leaves still attached to the tree proved the rumor mill very wrong, a good indicator that it wasn’t completely burned and charred, Griffin said.
“I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t a pile of ash,” he said.
The tree was protected by its surroundings. The fire stayed high, flashing over the top of the canopy toward the old courthouse on the other side of the park — the walls of which are made of thick concrete, preventing the fire from roaring back at a lower level and destroying the trunk, Griffin said.
The beloved tree was heavily damaged, but by September it started to show signs of growth.
The recovery that arborists expected to see in three months happened in three weeks, a stark sign that the famous banyan tree would survive and thrive, Griffin said. About 40% of the tree was lost, so the dead wood has been removed, and the tree will undergo a form of “reconstructive surgery” over the next 10 to 20 years to guide and prune the new growth to become a new canopy.
The reopening of Bayan Tree Park, well as the library and schools, can seem like hollow celebrations when Maui residents still don’t have a place to live, Rawlins-Fernandez said. But watching the children of West Maui rise up from the tragedy has brought the community the most hope and joy in the past year, he added.
Events like school plays and high school football games have provided the community with a forum for normalcy — especially in a time when students are still being bussed into their campuses from all over the island, where housing is more available, a stark reminder of the work left to be done, Rawlins-Fernandez said.
Cleanup ahead of schedule
Once the fires were contained, it became immediately clear that the environmental impact would last for years to come. Debris and toxic chemicals, much of it byproduct from coming into contact with the inferno, littered West Maui.
One year after the fire, cleanup efforts have surpassed what many federal, state and local agencies thought were possible during the time frame, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Col. Eric Swenson told ABC News.
As a result of the fires, the power grid was destroyed; water service interrupted; entire neighborhoods destroyed; and a seemingly never-ending pile of debris to dispose of from a small island.
But the workers, many of whom live in West Maui, worked diligently. By late July, nearly all of the 1,399 homes in Lahaina had been removed, with dozens being built in Lahaina and Kula, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen told Hawaii News Now. Water is expected to be restored to Lahaina by August and wastewater by January, Bissen said, adding that all projects are ahead of schedule.
Swenson believes the participation by locals fueled the recovery efforts — power, water, sewer, debris and housing.
“There was an awful lot of people from the community who are invested in the success of this recovery operation, and that allowed us to go faster than probably any other recovery effort that we’ve undertaken,” he said.
Residential debris removal is expected to be done by January and commercial debris removal by February, Swenson said.
Strides being made on housing on Maui
The biggest long-term development in the year since the wildfires regarding Hawaii’s housing crisis may be a bill signed into law by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green that gives counties more authority to regulate short-term vacation rentals.
In West Maui, almost half of all dwellings were used solely as short-term vacation rentals to be rented out to tourists, according to state officials.
“We know the majority of STRs in Hawai’i are illegal, owned by non-residents, and contribute to skyrocketing housing costs,” Green said in a post on X at the time.
As Maui County also phases out short-term rentals, hundreds of families impacted by the wildfire continue to utilize rental assistance, mortgage assistance, and temporary housing backed by federal, state, and local agencies.
In April, a collaborative effort between the state, Maui County, Hawai’i Community Foundation, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and others announced 50 two-bedroom homes to be given to displaced families with donated furniture.
In June, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands awarded 52 turnkey homes — homes that don’t require major repairs or improvements — to Native Hawaiian residents in Waikapū, Maui, with prices between $509,800 to $699,000.
The department plans to award 137 turnkey homes total and 24 improved vacant lots in the region.
“The department will persistently seek out lands in areas we can establish secure and resilient communities for those we serve,” Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Director Kali Watson told ABC News. “The people of Maui have faced numerous challenges since the wildfires. We hope these homes will inspire and uplift a community recovering from a devastating tragedy.”
FEMA has also leased residential properties for more than 1,200 households who needed temporary housing for either 18 months or until February 2025.
The agency says it plans to complete Kilohana, a group housing site expected to contain 169 units for eligible survivors to use for temporary housing, by October 2024.
The news of longer term housing comes as the state concludes its Non-Congregate Sheltering program, which provided shelter and assistance to 7,796 individuals and 3,071 households displaced by the Lahaina wildfires,.
Community looks within for support
Emergency assistance programs from federal and state programs have continued to play a role in supporting affected residents in the months following the tragedy.
But now, residents say support from the community on Maui and beyond lending a helping hand has been a major source of stability.
One group called Help Maui Rise says it disperses 100% of donated funds directly to families without any administrative or processing fees.
“We would get messages from people just thanking us for $100 and it was really heartbreaking because it seems like so little … We realized that $100 could mean dinner, it could mean groceries, it could mean baby formula, it’s stuff that you just assume they have the money for,” Kenna Reed, co-founder of Help Maui Rise, told ABC News.
Maui residents who lost everything in the island’s wildfires say they have forgotten what normal life felt like before the tragedy. Community-born programs like Help Maui Rise have not only offered financial support but also emotional support, they say.
After the fires, Lahaina resident Dusty Renan says he stepped down from his role managing a company he had held for 18 years.
He told ABC News that the stress, anxiety and depression he faced in the months after losing his family’s apartment and all their belongings made the break a necessity for his health and family.
Accessing funding from larger organizations has proven difficult, he says, with Renan getting rejected or fighting through red tape to get assistance for his family. That’s when community-backed organizations stepped in.
“We made it through thanks to resources and people – it’s the people that really made a difference in all of this. And it was the people that kind of gave us hope and kind of helped us to move forward,” said Renan.
He added, “I just want Lahaina back, I want Lahaina to be strong.”
Zoe Chesson, a mother with two young children, told ABC News that her family stayed with friends and relatives immediately after the wildfires destroyed their home, but eventually had to move off Maui to the Island of Hawaii, or the Big Island, following the tragedy.
“Everything is starting completely from scratch,” Chesson told ABC News. “It’s been kind of a journey.”
Chesson, who lived in Lahaina all her life, said that the tight-knit community is unlike any other.
She recalled an experience when she had been grilling outside, and neighbors had seen the smoke and came to check on the family to make sure they didn’t have a fire.
“My husband and I looked at each other and we were like, we can never live anywhere else,” said Chesson.
(WASHINGTON) — Americans lost $5.6 billion in cryptocurrency scams in 2023, according to a new report released by the FBI on Monday.
Scammers use elaborate tactics to assure potential victims that their investment in cryptocurrency will pay off, according to James Barnacle, the deputy assistant director of the criminal investigative division at the FBI.
“Over time, the victim is being cultivated, and the fraudsters are building confidence in the victim,” Barnacle told ABC News. “They’re friends. They met on the internet, or they met on social media. They’ve met on text message. They develop a friendship, then the fraudster will offer an investment opportunity, and the pitch is something along the lines of like, ‘Hey, I’m in a group that does investments or I know someone that does investments in cryptocurrency.'”
From there, Barnacle said, the victim is given a web app to place their money in.
“Everyone reads about all these crypto millionaires, so people are looking for the next big investment opportunities and fraudsters take advantage of that,” he said.
The impacts of these schemes, however, are devastating, according to Barnacle .
“Some people take mortgages, or third mortgages or equity lines of credit. People withdraw or liquidate from their 401(k) or their IRA, and they’ll put money into these investment schemes, keep putting in more and more and more,” he said. “We’re seeing people lose $4 million, $5 million, $6 million. We’re seeing people that are complaining and reaching out to us for $2,000 … it’s a huge impact to the victim.”
The report found that people over 60 years old were the most scammed: they lost nearly $1.6 billion in 2023.
“Elderly have generally a lot more free time,” Barnacle explained. “They’re at home, they’re in an assisted living facility, and so they’re pretty easy to target, in that sense, just their availability is higher than someone who’s not at home all day. And the fraudsters are really good at building that rapport.”
Fraudsters also give “detailed” directions on how to go to a cryptocurrency kiosk and deposit cash and transfer it to a scammer’s crypto wallet, he noted.
“You wouldn’t think your 89-year-old grandmother would go to a kiosk, but we’re seeing it all day long,” Barnacle said.
The chances that someone recovers the money are “slim,” Barnacle said.
FBI officials, in an effort to prevent fraudsters from taking money from victims, are training state and local law enforcement to better see the warning signs of crypto scams, and they are asking banks to also look out for the warnings from customers.
“They’re coming into your bank and saying they need cash for that home renovation project [but] does it make sense that they keep coming in and taking out significant amounts of money, even when some of them, the elderly folks, may live in a nursing home,” Barnicle said.
Since January, the FBI has notified 3,000 people that they were victims of fraud; however, the number of scams is being undercounted because many people don’t realize they are being scammed.
“The 3,000 people we’ve notified this year, 75% had no idea they were victims of fraud,” Barnacle said.
(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Debby is roaring across the Southeast after making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane Monday morning.
At least five people have been killed in Florida and Georgia.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Five killed including two kids
At least five people have been killed from Debby, authorities said.
A 13-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home Monday morning in Levy County, Florida, which encompasses Cedar Key, according to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this family as they deal with this tragedy,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to use extreme caution as they begin to assess and clean up the damage. Downed powerlines and falling trees are among the many hazards.”
In Hillsborough County, Florida, which encompasses Tampa, a driver of a semi was killed when the truck went into a canal off Interstate 275 Monday morning, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies recovered the semi and found the driver dead inside the cab, authorities said.
In Dixie County, Florida, a driver “lost control due to the inclement weather and wet roadway” on Sunday night, crashing into the center median guardrail and then overturning the car, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The driver, a 38-year-old woman, and a passenger, a 12-year-old boy, were killed, authorities said.
Another passenger, a 14-year-old boy, was seriously injured, the highway patrol said.
In Moultrie, Georgia, a 19-year-old man was struck and killed by a fallen tree while he was inside a home on Monday, according to Moultrie police.
19-year-old hit by tree dies in Georgia
A 19-year-old died after being hit by a tree in Moultrie, Georgia, a local coroner told ABC News affiliate WALB-TV, bringing the storm’s death toll to five.
More than 150,000 customers without power, tracker says
More than 150,000 customers were without power early Tuesday in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, according to PowerOutage.us, a tracker of energy providers.
Florida had the highest number of outages, with more than 116,000, followed by more than 26,000 in George and almost 12,000 in South Carolina.
Debby to bring historic 10-20 inches of rainfall: Forecast
Despite weakening since moving over land, Debby is still maintaining its tropical storm status, producing maximum sustained wind speeds of 45 mph.
As of 11 p.m. ET, over 150,000 customers in Florida and Georgia are still without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
With Debby’s center about 35 miles west of Brunswick, Georgia, much of the heavy rain and showers have since moved out of Florida (except for the extreme northeastern corner of the state closer to the Georgia border). However, with the storm slowing down even more, Debby will stay stuck over the Southeast for the better part of this week, meandering over Georgia and the Carolinas.
Even though the storm is expected to weaken a bit more overnight, Debby is still expected to bring historic rainfall and life-threatening flooding to portions of southeastern Georgia and the coastal areas of the Carolinas over the next few days. Rainfall totals from this event are expected to reach between 10 and 20 inches.
Already, portions of southeastern Georgia and South Carolina have seen between 3 to 6 inches of rainfall, but with rainfall rates of 1.5 to 3 inches per hour possible, flood alerts remain in effect.
A Flash Flood Warning was issued for Charleston, South Carolina, where rainfall rates between 1.5 and 2.5 inches are expected. Ongoing or new flooding is expected, with an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain possible over the next few hours.
As onshore flow continues, storm surge remains an issue in Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina. Storm surge alerts remain in effect up the Georgia and Carolina coastlines.
Rainfall aside, Debby could also generate some spin-up tornadoes as it swirls over the Georgia-South Carolina border tonight. As a result, a Tornado Watch also remains in effect for parts of southeastern Georgia and South Carolina until 1 a.m. ET.
Over the next 48 hours, Debby is expected to meander back over the Atlantic but will continue to hug the coastline before heading back inland over the Carolinas again. Slight strengthening can’t entirely be ruled out as it moves back over water, but ultimately, Debby is expected to weaken once it moves back inland. Strength aside, it will still bring significant rainfall to portions of the Southeast, which will likely lead to catastrophic flooding in some areas.
Debby is expected to eventually drift toward the north/northeast by the end of the week into the weekend. As it heads north, it will likely weaken to a tropical depression or remnant low. Regardless, heavy rainfall is still expected up the I-95 corridor heading into this weekend.
Power returns to some Florida customers as Debby moves northeast
As of Monday evening, 146,034 customers are without power in Florida, according to the latest update from a U.S. power outage map.
This marks an improvement from Monday morning, which saw nearly 300,000 customers without power at 9:50 a.m. ET, the height of outages across the state.
During a press conference in Tallahassee Monday morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state’s emergency department had 17,000 linemen working to restore power in the wake of the storm.
“We have a lot of restoration personnel ready to go,” DeSantis said.
Debby weakening, but threats of tornadoes, heavy rain continue
Tropical Storm Debby continues to weaken, with maximum sustained winds down to 45 mph as of 8 p.m. ET. The weather pattern is moving very slowly to the northeast at 6 mph, and the center is currently about 50 miles east of Valdosta, Georgia.
Even though Debby is now inland and continues to weaken, many of the impacts — especially the heavy rainfall and dangerous flash flood threat — will not abate for several days. For many locations in coastal Georgia and South Carolina, the worst is yet to come.
The tornado threat continues along portions of the Georgia and South Carolina coasts this evening and into tonight. A Tornado Watch remains in effect from Savannah, Georgia, to Charleston, South Carolina, until at least 1 a.m. ET.
Parts of Florida, including Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, are reporting over a foot of rain from Debby, and portions of Suwannee County, including Live Oak, are getting around a foot as well.
So far, parts of Georgia, including Savannah, are reporting nearly 4″ of rain. The same can be said for Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Conditions will continue to deteriorate across much of South Carolina overnight Monday into Tuesday, with widespread areas of heavy rain and the potential for dangerous, significant flash flooding during nighttime hours.
Coastal flooding and storm surges will continue to increase in the coming hours as winds increase and more persistent heavy rain moves in, heading into high tide along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts.
By late Tuesday afternoon or early evening, the center of Debby will likely be moving off the Southeast coast and into the Atlantic, where it will meander for about 24 hours before likely turning back toward the coast and potentially making another landfall as a tropical storm somewhere along the South Carolina coast by Thursday morning or afternoon.
More than 163,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 163,000 customers are without power in Florida, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
Curfew set for Charleston, South Carolina
A curfew will go into effect overnight for Charleston, South Carolina, due to Debby, city officials said Monday.
Thoroughfares leading into the peninsula will be closed from 11 p.m. ET Monday to noon ET Tuesday, the city said, as the region braces for potential impacts such as tropical storm-force winds, heavy rain and isolated tornadoes.
“We urge everybody to stay inside, stay indoors and do not travel,” Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said at a press briefing Monday evening.
Biden approves emergency declaration request from South Carolina
President Joe Biden has approved a request from South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster for an emergency declaration in the state due to Debby, the White House said.
The declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to mobilize and provide equipment and resources necessary.
“The President continues to urge residents to remain vigilant and heed the warnings of State and local officials,” the White House said in a statement.
North Carolina governor declares state of emergency
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency ahead of severe weather, including life-threatening flash flooding, expected across the state due to Debby.
“This weather has the potential to bring intense rain and flooding to North Carolina and we are preparing for it,” Cooper said in a statement. “As the weather becomes more severe, I urge everyone to take precautions and stay safe.”
The emergency declaration will allow for the state to mobilize resources to respond to the storm.
Tropical Storm Debby slowing down as it moves across US
Tropical Storm Debby continues to weaken and slow down in forward speed as the center moves near the Florida-Georgia state line as of 5 p.m. ET.
Maximum sustained winds are down to 50 mph, and Debby is moving to the northeast at 6 mph. The center is currently about 30 miles southeast of Valdosta, Georgia.
As of Monday afternoon, all tropical weather and storm surge alerts have been canceled across Florida’s Gulf Coast as conditions improve across much of the state.
Debby will move across southeastern Georgia through Monday evening, with the worst impacts focused there and into the Jacksonville, Florida, area. Heavy rain continues to overspread southern South Carolina as well.
-ABC News meteorologist Daniel Peck
More than 199,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 199,000 customers are without power in Florida, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
Latest forecast
Debby is moving inland across north Florida Monday afternoon after dumping more than 1 foot of rain in the state.
Tornadoes are possible Monday afternoon in Florida, including in Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville, as well as in the coastal cities of Savannah, Georgia, and Beaufort, South Carolina.
The biggest concern this week is flash flooding from the widespread, relentless rain. A flash flood emergency remains in effect in Suwannee County, Florida, northwest of Gainesville, where 10 to 15 inches of rain has fallen so far.
Debby will slowly churn into southeastern Georgia throughout Monday afternoon and evening. Conditions will deteriorate in Savannah, Georgia, throughout the day.
-ABC News’ Dan Peck
4 killed including 2 kids
At least four people have been killed from Debby, authorities said.
13-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home Monday morning in Levy County, Florida, which encompasses Cedar Key, according to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this family as they deal with this tragedy,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to use extreme caution as they begin to assess and clean up the damage. Downed powerlines and falling trees are among the many hazards.”
In Hillsborough County, Florida, which encompasses Tampa, a driver of a semi was killed when the truck went into a canal off Interstate 275 Monday morning, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies recovered the semi and found the driver dead inside the cab, authorities said.
“It’s just heartbreaking,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told ABC News Live. “We really ask everyone, one, to be aware of the weather situations in your area, and then heed the warnings. Especially the high wind and the water.”
In Dixie County, Florida, a driver “lost control due to the inclement weather and wet roadway” on Sunday night, crashing into the center median guardrail and then overturning the car, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The driver, a 38-year-old woman, and a passenger, a 12-year-old boy, were killed, authorities said.
Another passenger, a 14-year-old boy, was seriously injured, the highway patrol said.
Flash flood emergency issued in Suwannee County, Florida
A flash flood emergency has been issued in Suwannee County in north Florida, northwest of Gainesville, where officials are reporting that water is entering structures.
Ten to 15 inches of rain has inundated the county so far and another 3 to 6 inches of rain is expected.
-ABC News’ Dan Peck
More than 1,600 flights canceled
More than 1,600 flights have been canceled within, into or out of the U.S. on Monday, and that number is expected to continue to climb.
American Airlines is seeing the biggest impacts because of its hubs in Miami and Charlotte, North Carolina.
American Airlines said it canceled operations at airports in Gainesville, Sarasota and Tallahassee until noon on Monday.
Sunday was one of the worst air travel days of the year with more than 2,400 cancellations.
Biden briefed on storm
President Joe Biden was briefed Monday morning on the administration’s ongoing response to Debby, according to a White House official.
On Saturday, Biden approved Florida’s request for an emergency declaration and deployed rescue personnel, meals and water, the official said.
The Biden administration is in touch with officials from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has deployed staff to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina as the storm moves north, the official said.
More than 300,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 300,000 customers are without power in Florida Monday morning, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
More than 1,200 flights canceled
More than 1,200 flights have been canceled within, into or out of the U.S. on Monday, and that number is expected to continue to climb.
American Airlines is seeing the biggest impacts because of its hubs in Miami and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Sunday was one of the worst air travel days of the year with more than 2,400 cancellations.
Storm surge, flooding major threats
Storm surge and flooding are major threats to Florida as Hurricane Debby slams the state, Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Monday.
Significant flooding has already impacted the Bradenton and Sarasota County area up to North Florida, he said.
More than 250,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 250,000 customers are without power in Florida Monday morning, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
Debby makes landfall in Florida
Hurricane Debby made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida, on Monday morning, the National Hurricane Center said.
More than 135,000 customers without power in Florida, tracker says
More than 135,000 customers were without power in Florida early Monday, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks energy outages.
Debby approaches landfall with 80 mph winds
Hurricane Debby is “very near” landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast, the National Hurricane Center said at 5 a.m. ET.
“Expected to bring life-threatening storm surge in portions of Florida and major flooding in the southeastern United States,” the center said in an update.
The Category 1 storm had maximum sustained winds of an about 80 mph as it approached Big Bend, a northern area near the Panhandle, the center said.
Debby strengthens, with maximum sustained winds up to 80 mph
Hurricane Debby continued to strengthen, with maximum sustained winds rising to 80 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.
More than 10 inches of rain fell on the west coast of Florida, around the Tampa Bay area, where water rescues have been on going near Clearwater. Significant flooding also has been reported in Fort Myers area.
Storm surge has been rising quickly now along the Big Bend area in Florida, from Cedar Key to Keaton Beach, where up to 10 feet of Gulf water could inundate the coastline. The storm is forecast to make landfall in that area on Monday morning.
Coast Guard rescues two adrift in sailboat off Florida coast
Two people were rescued Sunday from a boat that was adrift in about 20-foot seas off the coast of Boca Grande, Florida, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The boaters were airlifted from their 34-foot sailboat after the vessel lost its sail about 73 miles off shore, the guard said.
The sailboat had been on course for Tarpon Springs from Key West, officials said. A friend of the boaters contacted the Coast Guard at about 5 p.m. Saturday, telling officials they had missed their check-in.
“We received an updated satellite position from the boaters’ friend, which led to them being successfully located,” Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hooper, a search and rescue mission coordinator, said in a statement.
The boaters were rescued by a crew on an Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter at about 11 a.m. on Sunday, the Coast Guard said. They had been adrift in seas that were between 15 and 20 feet, with wind speeds at about 50 knots. Visibility was low.
The names of the people on the boat were not released.
Debby strengthens into a hurricane
The National Hurricane Center has upgraded Tropical Storm Debby to a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 mph.
The forecast is still on track for more strengthening overnight as Debby feeds off the warm water in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Water temperatures running 3 to 5 degrees above average are providing plenty of fuel for this storm to intensify before landfall, which will happen around 7 a.m. ET along the Big Bend region of Florida.
Tropical Storm Debby nearing hurricane strength at 70 mph
While still a tropical storm, Debby is nearing hurricane strength, producing maximum sustained wind speeds up to 70 mph.
Debby will continue to intensify rapidly overnight as it travels northward over the Gulf’s warm waters. It is forecast to become a hurricane tonight. It is expected to strengthen to at least a strong Category 1 hurricane before making landfall along Florida’s Big Bend region Monday morning (around 7 a.m. ET), producing sustained wind speeds near 85 mph and wind gusts reaching over 100 mph possible.
Located about 90 miles southwest of Cedar Key, Florida, the storm continues to impact the Florida Gulf Coast with heavy rainfall, storm surge, powerful winds and even spin-up tornadoes.
A reported wind gust of 56 mph was reported in St. Petersburg, with two tornadoes reported in central Florida.
A 60-mph wind gust was also reported near Sarasota, Florida.
Numerous reports of flooding from heavy rainfall and surges have also been submitted up Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The Tornado Watch covering much of northern and central Florida and southern Georgia has been extended until 6 a.m. ET on Monday.
Once Debby moves over land, it will weaken. However, the lack of a steering current will cause the storm to slow down considerably. While its exact track remains questionable, model guidance suggests the storm will drift over the Atlantic or Southeast coastline late Monday night into Tuesday before meandering back over Georgia and the Carolinas. Interaction with the Atlantic could reenergize Debby, but that will greatly depend on the storm’s path.
Even though Debby’s track and timing remain uncertain later this week, there is high confidence that it will bring historic rainfall and significant flooding across portions of the Southeast.
Rainfall ranging between 6 to 12 inches is possible from Florida’s Big Bend region through southeastern Georgia and into the Carolinas. Parts of coastal Georgia and South Carolina will be in the bullseye for the heaviest rainfall. There, widespread totals between 10 to 20 inches are possible, with some places even seeing up to 30 inches locally. Because of this, significant urban and river flooding is anticipated.
Rainfall aside, hurricane and tropical storm force winds will continue to whip across Florida and will likely intensify Sunday night into Monday as the storm moves closer to the coast — with areas just south and east of the storm’s eyewall seeing the strongest gusts early Monday morning.
Storm surge will also worsen along Florida’s northern and central Gulf coast tonight into Monday morning, with the highest surge expected between Suwannee River and Ochlockonee River (6 to 10 feet).
All tropical alerts remain unchanged from the last update.
Tropical Storm Debby on track to become a hurricane overnight
As of 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, Tropical Storm Debby still has winds of 65 mph and is forecast to undergo rapid intensification into a hurricane overnight, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Debby is expected to make landfall as a hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend region on Monday morning around 7 a.m.
Rain is expected to be the most impactful element from this storm, affecting a wide area over an extended period of time.
“Across portions of southeast Georgia and South Carolina, 10 to 20 inches of rainfall, with local amounts to 30 inches, are expected through Friday morning,” the National Hurricane Center said. “This potentially historic rainfall will likely result in areas of catastrophic flooding.”
Evacuations ordered in Alachua County, Florida, as Debby set to make landfall
An evacuation order was issued Sunday for residents of Alachua County, Florida, residing in mobile homes, manufactured homes and recreational vehicles ahead of the arrival of Debby, which is forecast to be a hurricane when it makes landfall on Monday.
People living in areas close to rivers and lakes, and low-lying areas that tend to flood in Alachua County are also encouraged to evacuate, according to a statement issued by county officials.
Gainesville is the largest city in Alachua County.
“We encourage residents affected to find alternative housing with friends, family or short-term rentals,” according to the county’s statement.
Alachua County is opening three shelters for residents in need.
Tornado watch issued as Debby runs parallel to Florida’s Gulf Coast
A tornado watch was issued Sunday afternoon by the National Weather Service as Tropical Storm Debbie moved northward in the Gulf of Mexico parallel to Florida’s Gulf Coast.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said Debby was still a tropical storm with winds of 65 mph and forecasted to bring severe weather, including heavy rain, to coastal communities Sunday afternoon.
A tornado watch is in effect for much of Florida through Sunday evening.
Debby is expected to become a hurricane Sunday evening and will likely make landfall sometime between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday in the Big Bend area of Florida’s Panhandle.
Once Debby makes landfall, the storm is expected to slow down and essentially stall over the Southeast, dropping potentially historic amounts of rainfall as it moves into Georgia and South Carolina.
A hurricane warning is in effect for the west coast of Florida from the Ochlockonee River southwest of Tallahassee to the Suwannee River northwest of Gainesville.
More than 1,600 flights canceled due to Debby and Northeast thunderstorms
Tropical Storm Debby and thunderstorms in the Northeast were causing airlines to cancel or delay flights on Sunday.
American Airlines said it canceled 601 flights, or about 16% of its flights, on Sunday, the most of any airline.
Debby, now a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to make landfall around the Big Bend area of the Florida Panhandle on Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.
Also causing delays and cancellations were severe thunderstorms moving up the East Coast. Parts of the mid-Atlantic states are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m. ET Sunday, including the cities of Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City.
The most flights canceled on Sunday were at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, where 214 flights were canceled and another 172 were delayed, according to FlightAware.
In New York City, LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy international airports reported a combined 363 flights canceled and 258 delayed on Sunday.
Miami International Airport reported 209 canceled flights and 151 delayed fights. Airports in Orlando, Tampa, Philadelphia, Newark, Washington, D.C., and Dallas-Fort Worth all reported more than 100 flight cancellations on Sunday.
Ten million people under tropical storm alert on Florida’s Gulf Coast
About 10 million people along Florida’s west coast and up through Georgia and South and North Carolina were under a tropical storm alert Sunday as Debby took aim at the area and is forecast to make landfall in the Panhandle region on Monday.
Debby, now a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico about 190 miles southwest of Tampa, is expected to make landfall sometime between 7 and 8 a.m. in Big Bend on the Florida Panhandle as a Category 1 hurricane, state emergency officials said.
Debby is expected to create a storm surge of 4 to 7 feet in Cedar Key and Crystal River on the Florida west coast and a 2- to 5-foot storm surge farther south in Tampa and Sarasota.
The storm is forecast to move into the cities of Tallahassee and Jacksonville, bringing up to 20 inches of rain to some parts, before causing potential flooding in Georgia and the Carolinas on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
National Guard put on alert for search and rescue: DeSantis
Members of the Florida National Guard have been advised to be prepared to conduct search-and-rescue missions once Tropical Storm Debby makes landfall on Monday, according to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Widespread flooding is expected for the Florida Panhandle region, particularly in the Big Bend area where Debby is expected to make landfall Monday morning as a category 1 hurricane, DeSantis said during a news conference Sunday morning.
DeSantis said the Florida National Guard and the state’s Emergency Response Team are prepared to conduct search-and-rescue and provide humanitarian assistance.
“The Florida National Guard is standing by with 3,000 service members ready to assist the state Emergency Response Team, which includes search-and-rescue, route clearance, commodity distribution and protection of critical infrastructure,” DeSantis said.
The governor said at least 12 swift boat crews and flat-bottom jon boat crews are also standing by to help with rescues.
He said that more than 30,000 bottles of water, more than 160,000 meals and nearly 14,000 tarps have been pre-staged in parts of Florida that are expected to be hit hard by the storm.
DeSantis said Florida utility companies have notified up to 17,000 linemen to be ready to spring into action once it is safe to repair any damage.
Flooding forecast as Debby expected to bring up to 20 inches of rain
Florida residents in the Big Bend region of the Panhandle were warned Sunday that Debby is going to bring “catastrophic rain to the area” that will cause flooding and power outages.
Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said during a news conference on Sunday that once the Debby makes landfall as a possible Category 1 hurricane on Monday morning, winds will subside quickly, but the slow-moving storm will produce an abundance of rain.
“We’re going to be in a catastrophic rain situation where we have situations in Florida that will receive 15, maybe as high as 20 inches of rain,” Guthrie said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told residents who are in the path of the storm to expect widespread power outages.
“It’s possible that you could have serious intensification between now and landfall. It could get up to 85, 90 and 95 mph sustained winds. That is absolutely possible, particularly in parts of the state like here in Tallahassee. There’s going to be a lot of trees that are going to fall down and you’re going to have debris. You are going to have power interruptions,” the governor said.
Gov. DeSantis advises residents to make final preparations for Debby
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis advised residents of the state’s Panhandle region on Sunday that they should be finalizing preparations for when Tropical Storm Debby makes its anticipated landfall Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.
“Now this is a storm that is potentially dangerous. Residents should be finalizing all of their preparations now,” DeSantis said during a news conference at the state’s Emergency Operation Center in Tallahassee.
DeSantis said Tropical Storm Debby was in the Gulf of Mexico about 190 miles southwest of Tampa as of Sunday morning with sustained winds of about 50 mph.
“But those are expected to increase,” DeSantis said. “Tropical Storm Debby is likely to become a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida.”
He said the storm was on a similar track taken by Hurricane Idalia in 2023. Idalia made landfall in Big Bend on Aug. 30, 2023, as a Category 3 hurricane and caused a devastating storm surge of 7 to 12 feet across the coastal Big Bend region in Levy, Dixie and Taylor counties.
“This storm is a similar track,” DeSantis said. “It may be a tick to the west of that. It very well may have greater impacts here in the Tallahassee region than Hurricane Idalia did. Once it crosses landfall and enters the Florida Panhandle/Big Bend Region, wherever it does, it’s going to move very slowly across northern Florida and southeast Georgia.”