See it: Debby floods Fort Myers area while inching toward Florida landfall
Debby is currently churning in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to make landfall in Florida's Big Bend early Monday.
Floodwater covers roads, approaches businesses in Florida ahead of Debby
Rain is pouring down on Fort Myers Beach, where roads are flooding and stranding some vehicles. The floodwater is also quickly creeping toward buildings. (Courtesy: WFTX/Fort Meyers)
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Photos and videos captured in southwest Florida on Sunday show homes, businesses and roads being flooded as Debby inches closer to land.
Debby is currently churning in the Gulf of Mexico and intensified into a hurricane on Sunday night before making landfall in Florida's Big Bend early Monday.
In the meantime, Floridians are already feeling the impact of Debby as many of them prepare amid the backdrop of a state of emergency.
Images from Fort Myers Beach on Sunday show roads disappearing underneath deep floodwater and quickly approaching businesses.
Flooded businesses. (WFTX / Fort Myers / FOX Weather)
Also in Fort Myers Beach, the road in front of what appears to be apartments has been completely flooded.
Floodwater in front of a building. (WFTX / Fort Myers / FOX Weather)
On the shore, the storm surge flooded lawns and immersed some docks in seawater.
Storm surge hits southwestern Florida ahead of Tropical Storm Debby
The people of St. James City in the Fort Myers area saw storm surge during high tide. (Courtesy: @cworkman388 / X)
"Water up to my knees on the dock and I am 6’4"," said Cody Workman, who shared the video on X, formerly Twitter.
The photos below show roads turning into rivers as water levels rise throughout the day.
Drivers are also seen stranded and needing their vehicles to be towed.
A tow truck assists a stranded driver and their vehicle. (WFTX / Fort Myers / FOX Weather)
Early Sunday morning, sheets of rain and powerful winds were lashing palm trees around a parking lot.
Powerful wind and rain batter southwest Florida
Footage shot in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, shows sheets of rain pummeling palm trees and a parking lot as Tropical Storm Debby moves toward the Sunshine State. (Courtesy: @WxJack27 via Storyful)
For motorists on the road, sheets of rain make driving hazardous. The image below shows the poor visibility drivers have to face.
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray provides a view of the driving conditions on Sunday. (Robert Ray / FOX Weather)
In San Carlos Island, which lies to the north of Fort Myers Beach, homes are already seeing water rise toward their doorstep.
Flooding approaches homes in southwest Florida
Tropical Storm Debby is producing heavy rain in San Carlos Island, where floodwaters are quickly rising. (Courtesy: Justin Bell via Storyful)
"We’re just sitting here watching at this point. Not much else we can do," said Justin Bell, who filmed the video above on Sunday afternoon.
Floridians should expect to feel Debby's impacts more and more as the storm barrels closer.