By Lynette Norris
Greene Publishing Inc.
“At this point, we’re good,” said EMS Director Tom Cisco at the 2:30 June 26 National Weather Service Update at the EMS station in Madison.
Tropical Storm Debby was predicted to make landfall in about an hour in Dixie County, with sustained winds of 30-35 mph. As it moved inland, those winds were expected to drop to 20-30 mph., because “the structure of the storm is not that great.” As the system moved through Madison County and began pulling away, it would pull in a band of drier air behind it; already at the 2:30 meeting the color weather radar image onscreen showed the northeast half of the county in a dry band and the southeast portion in a moderate green rain band, with only the southeast corner in a band of yellow.
With Debby’s passing and moving on, weather patterns would then be somewhat drier than the usual summer weather patterns, and very hot; temperature would be in the 90s, and those persons dealing with cleanup after the storm would need to be prepared for that.
River flooding except for the Suwannee River did not to appear to be a great concern, and barricades were on their way from DOT to block off impassable and dangerous roads.
All those gathered at the station agreed that things had quieted down significantly since the noon hour, with the one big area of uncertainty being the sinkhole beside I-10. DOT was pouring cement into it and hoping it would hold, so that the entire eastbound part of the Highway would not have to be shut down.
Other than that, “we’re transitioning away from dealing with impact to dealing with the aftermath – the ongoing rainfall, the flooding and the runoff.”
