Hurricane Debby (2000)

Hurricane Debby

Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Debby shortly after peak intensity on August 22
Formed	August 19, 2000
Dissipated	August 24, 2000
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 85 mph (140 km/h)
Lowest pressure	991 mbar (hPa); 29.26 inHg
Fatalities	1 indirect
Damage	$735,000 (2000 USD)
Areas affected	Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cuba, Jamaica
Part of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Debby caused minor damage in the Greater and Lesser Antilles in August 2000. The seventh tropical cyclone, fourth named storm, and second hurricane of the annual season, Debby developed from a tropical wave east of the Lesser Antilles on August 19. Favorable conditions allowed the depression to become Tropical Storm Debby early on August 20, and further strengthening into a hurricane occurred 24 hours later. Sustained winds peaked at 85 mph (140 km/h) on August 21. Debby made three landfalls on August 22, in Barbuda, Saint Barthélemy, and Virgin Gorda, before re-entering the Atlantic north of Puerto Rico. As Debby moved parallel to the north coast of Hispaniola late on August 23, it weakened back to a tropical storm. The storm tracked westward and weakened further, instead of approaching Florida and strengthening into a major hurricane. While south of eastern Cuba on August 24, Debby was downgraded to a tropical depression, six hours before completely dissipating.

Light rainfall and gusty winds caused minor damage in Barbuda, Saint Martin, and Trinidad and Tobago. In the United States Virgin Islands, brief blackouts and damage reaching $200,000 (2000 USD) was reported. Effects were most severe in Puerto Rico, where isolated locations experienced more than 12 inches (300 mm) of rainfall. The heavy precipitation resulted in mudslides and flooding, which in turn damaged roads, bridges, and houses. At least 406 homes on the island were flooded, five of which suffered moderate to severe damage. Additionally, there were many car accidents in San Juan due to slick roads. One indirectly fatality was reported after a man fell off his roof while attempting to remove a satellite dish. Damage on the island of Puerto Rico reached $501,000. In Dominican Republic, the Civil Defense Force reported that severe flooding in the northern portions of that country caused the evacuation of more than 700 people. Overall, the storm caused roughly $35,000 in damage across the island. Impact was lesser in Haiti, where squalls tore tin roofs off of numerous shanty homes and subsequently flooded a few. Additionally, rainfall in Cuba brought relief to an 8 month long drought impacting the region.