Tropical Storm Debby Update: Storm Bringing Heavy Rainfall to Carolinas

Tropical Storm Debby continues to be a problem for travelers along the U.S. east coast.

As of 5 a.m., Wednesday morning, Debby was about 65 miles southeast of Charleston and 90 miles east of Savannah, moving east at 5 mph. Heavy rainfall is expected across eastern South Carolina and southeast North Carolina through Thursday.

After that, the NHC expects the storm to pick up speed as it heads northward through the mid-Atlantic, reaching the northeast overnight on Friday.

What’s the travel impact?  

Travel in Florida, including at Orlando International (MCO) and F. Lauderdale International (FLL), and Georgia, including at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL), has returned to normal. FlightAware is reporting less than 2% cancellations at each of those hubs as of early on Wednesday.

There is some growing impact at Carolina airports, including Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) and Myrtle Beach International (MYR).

A separate string of inclement weather is causing more trouble in the northeast, including at New York City area airports, than Debby seems to be in the Carolinas—delays and cancellations are increasing at John F. Kennedy International (JFK), Newark Liberty (EWR), and LaGuardia (LGA).

All three of those airports were subject to ground stops on Tuesday night because of thunderstorms in the area. JetBlue has issued a separate waiver for Wednesday for travel through New York and other northeast hubs.

Weather waivers

Airlines issued waivers for travel through airports in the southeast U.S. and Mid-Atlantic earlier this week, and many of those waivers are still in place through Thursday, including waivers from Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and American Airlines.

United Airlines has already issued a new waiver for Debby’s anticipated impact as it moves up the coast. The new waiver includes travel on Aug. 9 and Aug. 10, through some major airports further north, including Baltimore Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Norfolk International (ORF), Ronald Reagan Wahington (DCA), and Washington Dulles (IAD).