The total damage and economic loss from Hurricane Debby in the United States is $28 billion, according to a preliminary estimate from forecasting firm AccuWeather.
That calculation includes damage to property, job and wage losses, crops, infrastructure damage, interruption of the supply chain, auxiliary business losses and airport closures as well as flight delays. The estimate also accounts for the costs of evacuations, relocations, emergency management and the government expenses for and cleanup operations and the long-term effects on business logistics, transportation and tourism.
In comparison, AccuWeather says that Hurricane Beryl brought $28-32 billion in total damage and economic loss in July. Last year Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall into the Big Bend of Florida, caused $18-20 billion in total damage and economic loss. Hurricane Ian, in 2022, caused $180-210 billion. Hurricane Florence, another prolific rainmaker for the Southeast and Middle Atlantic, caused $50-60 billion in damage in 2018.
Hurricane Debby came ashore August 5 as a category 1 hurricane, with winds at the lower end of the scale but heavy rainfall that caused serious impacts as the slow-moving front lingered over states across the Southeast U.S.
That pattern brought more than a month’s worth of rainfall to many areas over the course of a few days, AccuWeather said. Historic and catastrophic flooding is the result in parts of northern Florida and up the East Coast into the eastern Carolinas, Virginia, and parts of the Northeast.
According to AccuWeather measurements, the hardest hit areas experienced a foot or more of rain in a day or two, leading to the devastating flooding. Some of the highest rain totals reported thus far have included 21.06 inches in Tatem Ridge, FL, 18.25 inches in Summerville, SC, 15.25 inches in Kings Grant, NC, and 13.87 inches in Rincon, GA, the company said.
“Debby’s first landfall as a hurricane in Florida, second landfall as a tropical storm in South Carolina and its impacts along its trek across the eastern United States are widespread and will be long-lasting. Storm surge, flash flooding and tornadoes have damaged homes, businesses and schools, and in some cases, the damage is severe. Travel disruptions and beach erosion have resulted in significant economic losses for the tourism industry in coastal areas during a very busy part of the summer vacation season,” said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter.
“Thousands of flights were canceled, local curfews were ordered and many businesses were forced to close or reduce services to keep employees and customers safe, sometimes for multiple consecutive days. AccuWeather experts preliminarily estimate that the damage, losses, and extensive disruptions to business and commerce will result in a total damage and economic loss of $28 billion dollars,” Porter said.
