Hurricane Debby

Rescue crews will return to help residents in the most heavily impacted areas in Sarasota.

Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said Debby's effects will be "far-reaching" and "long-lasting."

Debby is expected to bring up to 25 inches of rain across parts of the Southeast. It's currently creeping over Georgia to the Atlantic Ocean, expected to return to shore this week with more strength.

More tropical rainfall from the outer bands will keep a large portion of the peninsula in a slight risk area for flash floods. Rains Tuesday will not be as widespread, but these bands will still be capable of very high rain rates of over 2 inches per hour.

Tropical storms can be deadlier than some of the strongest hurricanes. In Debby’s case, the storm was expected to slow to a crawl and dump up to 30 inches of rain over several days over coastal Georgia and South Carolina.

The aftermath of Debby has left several parts of the region flooded or susceptible to major flooding in the coming days.

Tropical Storm Debby is slamming Florida with catastrophic flooding and could bring potentially record-setting rain to Georgia and South Carolina.

The city of Sarasota on Monday declared a local state of emergency, which is a procedural step to allow emergency funding for any necessary repairs. Officials in North Port and in Fort Myers Beach met Monday morning to also declare local states of emergency.

Debby will move slowly and it is large. Rainbands will continue to affect Florida through the middle of the week, with periods of drier air.

Some parts of the region received 8 to 12 inches of rain that resulted in flooded roads. Early Monday, I-75 at Fowler was closed after a semitrailer became submerged in the Tampa Bypass Canal.

Debby came ashore near Steinhatchee. It's expected to bring life-threatening storm surge and major flooding as it moves through northern Florida before stalling over Georgia and in the Carolinas.

As of 5 p.m. Sunday, it's going to be a crucial next 12 hours for Debby as it moves over a region of very warm waters. Rapid intensification is likely before it reaches Florida.