If you are visiting Walt Disney World at the moment, you likely just received a warning on your phone that could have severe implications on the rest of your vacation.
Tropical Storm Debby is projected to intensify into a hurricane overnight Sunday before making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region around sunrise Monday morning.
As of Sunday morning, hurricane-force winds ranging from 74 to 95 mph are expected in areas under a Hurricane Warning in the Big Bend region. Much of the Florida Peninsula’s west coast is under a Tropical Storm Warning, with anticipated winds of 39 to 73 mph.
The storm entered the Gulf of Mexico off the southwest coast of Florida on Saturday afternoon.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 140 miles from the center, triggering tornado warnings in southwest Florida as storm bands move onshore.
Numerous Florida counties are under a tornado watch, including Orange, Lake, Marion, Flagler, Osceola, Polk, Volusia, Seminole, and Sumter counties. A tornado warning has been issued for southwest Polk County.
In its 11 a.m. advisory Sunday, the NHC stated that Debby is likely to strengthen rapidly before making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region, posing a significant flood threat to the southeastern United States.
Florida National Guard members have been advised to prepare for search-and-rescue missions once Tropical Storm Debby makes landfall on Monday, according to Governor Ron DeSantis.
Widespread flooding is anticipated in the Florida Panhandle region, especially in the Big Bend area where Debby is expected to make landfall Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane, DeSantis said during a news conference Sunday morning.
Florida residents in the Big Bend region of the Panhandle were warned Sunday that Debby will bring “catastrophic rain to the area,” causing flooding and power outages.
Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents of the state’s Panhandle region on Sunday to finalize their preparations for Tropical Storm Debby’s anticipated landfall Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.
“This storm is potentially dangerous. Residents should be completing all of their preparations now,” DeSantis said during a news conference at the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee.
Orlando International Airport has already canceled 134 flights at the time of this article’s publishing, which will likely be a number that will continue to climb.
Now, all Disney World guests in the Orlando area have likely had to look down at their phones as an alert sounded across the city.
NWS Tornado shared, “A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Florida and Georgia until 8 PM EDT”
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Florida and Georgia until 8 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/Aa9dJRNHtN
— NWS Tornado (@NWStornado) August 4, 2024
As someone who lives minutes away from the theme park, I can say that I had multiple weather apps send a notification to my phone telling me that there is now a Tornado Watch in my area, which would mean that any Disney World guest with a phone and their location turned on would have received the same.
Eric Burris also shared, “NEW: Tornado Watch has been posted for just about all of Central Florida through 8pm… This is as expected- as more and more shear work into our area, brief spin up tornadoes are possible…”
NEW: Tornado Watch has been posted for just about all of Central Florida through 8pm…
This is as expected- as more and more shear work into our area, brief spin up tornadoes are possible… pic.twitter.com/Sa5RoIBIEt
— Eric Burris (@EricBurrisWESH) August 4, 2024
As noted by WESH, a tropical storm warningis in effect for:
- Dry Tortugas
- West coast of the Florida peninsula from Boca Grande to south of Yankeetown
- Florida coast west of the Ochlocknee River to Indian Pass
- Florida coast east of the Suwannee River to Yankeetown.
- Tampa Bay
- Sumter County
- Gulf of Mexico
- Florida Keys from the Seven Mile Bridge westward
Atropical storm watchis in effect for:
- Lake and Polk counties
- The southern coast of the Florida peninsula east of East Cape Sable to the Card Sound Bridge
- The west coast of the Florida peninsula from Aripeka to the mouth of the Suwannee River
- Florida coast west of Indian Pass to Mexico Beach
- Georgia and South Carolina coast to the South Santee River
A hurricane warning is in effect for:
- Florida Gulf Coast from the Suwannee River to the Ochlockonee River
A hurricane watch is in effect for:
- West of the Aucilla River to Indian Pass
A storm surge warning has been issued for:
- Coast of Florida from Aripeka to the mouth of the Aucilla River
- West of the Aucilla River to Indian Pass.
- Florida’s Big Bend region.
A storm surge watch has been issued for:
- The coast of Florida west of the mouth of the Aucilla River to Indian Pass
- The west coast of the Florida peninsula from Bonita Beach northward to the mouth of the Suwannee River, including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor
- Georgia and South Carolina coast to the South Santee River
A tornado watch has been issued for:
- Orange County
- Osceola County
- Flagler County
- Volusia County
- Marion County
- Lake County
- Polk County
- Seminole County
- Sumter County
At the moment, Walt Disney World Resort has not altered their operating hours for Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or EPCOT. It is likely that we will see a lot of temporary closures as the day goes on due to thunderstorms, which will permanently shut down outdoor attractions until it is safe to reopen, but the parks are not set to shut down at the moment.
There have been rare instances in the past where Disney opened its theme parks, but as the day went on, due to weather, Disney had to shut them down and remove all guests from the parks. If that does happen, cast members are trained to help, and all guests staying at a Disney resort will be safe.
Universal Orlando Resort is also in full operation and is monitoring the ongoing weather.
Bush Gardens Tampa Bay, on the other hand, has closed down for the day.
Inside the Magic will keep you updated on all theme park operations as the storm continues.
