Debby downgraded to tropical depression amid heavy rain and potential tornadoes

Debby was officially downgraded by the National Hurricane Center from a tropical storm to a tropical depression as it moved north along the Atlantic Coast.

The storm continues to bring more intense rain, leading to flash flooding and several tornadoes in North Carolina. As the storm moves up the coast, tornado watches are also in effect from Northern Virginia through New York Friday morning.

Debby initially made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast at the start of the week as a Category 1 hurricane. It made a second landfall in South Carolina on Thursday as a tropical storm.

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Debby has caused catastrophic flooding, knocked out power, downed trees, and upended travel. At least eight people have died this week as a result of the storm.

One tornado destroyed a school in Wilson County, North Carolina, which is southeast of Raleigh. A twister there killed at least one person.

In another incident, a tree fell onto a mobile home in Levy County, Florida, crushing a 13-year-old to death inside.

Intense rain will continue as the storm moves through the D.C. area and into Pennsylvania and New York on Friday.

The storm will travel through New England on Saturday and move into Canada by Sunday.

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