Hurricane Debbie – LIVE: Florida on alert as Category 1 storm nears landfall in Big Bend

Hurricane Debbie is expected to make landfall in Florida on Monday morning, leaving about 210,000 homes and businesses across the country without power.

According to data from PowerOutages.com, approximately 90,000 additional locations lost power in just two hours.

Areas along the Big Bend are the hardest hit, with more than 80 percent of Lafayette without power, the data shows.

The National Hurricane Center said the hurricane was “very close to making landfall” in the Big Bend.

President Joe Biden has declared a “state of emergency” in Florida and ordered federal assistance to bolster response efforts in the state.

With Storm Debby expected to make landfall Monday morning, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been called upon to coordinate disaster relief efforts.

The National Hurricane Center warned that the weather conditions were “life-threatening.”

They will assist local response teams in both evacuation efforts and shelter support.

FEMA’s John Brogan has been appointed to coordinate efforts in the disaster area, according to a White House statement issued Sunday.

The National Weather Service issued a new tornado watch, predicting that about 11.7 million residents in Florida and Georgia could be at risk from tornadoes.

The warning, issued at 6 a.m. EDT, covers areas from Sarasota, Fla., to Savannah, Ga. No hail is expected in those areas, but wind gusts of up to 70 mph are also expected.

Additionally, 2,287 schools and 158 hospitals may be in the tornado’s path. The warning is in effect until 4:00 PM EDT.

The National Hurricane Center warned that as of about 5 a.m. ET, Debby had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph and was located just 40 miles from Cedar Key.

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The National Weather Service has issued multiple watches and warnings across the southeastern United States as Tropical Storm Debby approaches.

Warnings such as hurricane warnings and storm surge warnings mean residents need to take immediate protective measures.

“A warning means weather conditions pose a threat to life or property,” the NWS said. write.

A watch, on the other hand, means that residents should prepare for extreme weather. Watches are sometimes issued when meteorologists don’t know the exact timing or severity of the extreme weather.

“People should have a plan of action in case a storm threatens and should monitor subsequent information and possible warnings, especially when planning travel or outdoor activities,” the NWS wrote.

The National Hurricane Center warned that the center of Hurricane Debby is expected to strike the Big Bend coast “late this morning.”

The storm continues to move north-northeast at roughly 12 mph, according to a 5 a.m. update from the NHC, which warned of a combination of hurricane-force winds, storm surge and storm surge creating “life-threatening” conditions.

Debby is expected to make landfall on the Georgia coast by Tuesday evening.