Tropical Storm Debby delivered drenching rain Monday over northern Florida is it stopped moving over the Gulf of Mexico, threatening to flood low-lying neighborhoods. The storm is stationary offshore northwestern Florida. Even with Debby's center far from land, it lashed the southeastern U.S. state with heavy rain and spawned isolated tornadoes that killed at least one person. In neighboring Alabama, crews continued searching for a man to disappeared in rough surf Sunday afternoon. In Florida, residents of several counties were urged to leave low-lying neighborhoods because of the threat of flooding. High wind forced the closure of a highway bridge that spans Tampa Bay and links Saint Petersburg with areas to the southeast. In several locations, homes and businesses were damaged by high wind authorities believe was from tornadoes. Early Monday, the center of Debby was essentially stationary about 145 kilometers south-southwest of Apalachicola, Florida. Its top sustained winds were around 85 kilometers per hour with little change in strength expected over the next 24 hours, said the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. Forecasters were unsure of Debby's path in the coming days, though the storm is not expected to head west. Slow moving tropical storms drop more rain in a given area, increasing chances for flooding. A public advisory said parts of northern Florida could receive 25 to 37 centimeters of rain, with some areas getting as much as 62 centimeters.
