Tropical Storm Debby threatened Florida with flood conditions Monday as it moved toward the center of the state.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said Debby weakened earlier Monday but could still bring as much as five feet (1.5 m) of flooding to some coastal areas. The threat was expected to continue for 24 to 48 hours.
Photo gallery: Tropical Storm Debby
In its 5:00pm ET Monday advisory, the NWS said Debby was about 30 miles (45 km) south of Apalachicola, near Florida's northwest coast.
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The storm was moving northeast at five mph (seven kph) with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph), according to the NWS.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Florida Gulf Coast from Destin to Englewood.
Earlier Monday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency.
At a press conference, Scott urged residents to be "very, very, very cautious" as heavy rain from Debby pounds the state, Bay News 9 reported.
A tornado caused by the storm claimed one life in Venus, in the center of the state, on Sunday afternoon. The woman who died has not yet been identified, Central Florida News 13 reported.
Debby is the fourth named system of the 2012 hurricane season.
SOURCE LINK: https://www.newscore.com
