Dramatic photos show flooding in Florida as 'life threatening' Tropical Storm Debby barrels through state and threatens to turn into hurricane

A tropical storm set to make landfall as a hurricane has already brought flooding to Florida's Gulf Coast.

Tropical Storm Debby brought at least two feet of storm surge to southwest cities like Fort Myers, with photos showing cars there completely underwater.

The storm is currently on a collision course with Tampa, officials with the National Hurricane Center said, stating how it is set to become a Category One come Sunday night. 

Airports in the city have thus been thrust into chaos, with at least 120 canceled flights, including departures and arrivals, recorded at Tampa International Airport.

Out of the 496 flights of the day, nearly 200 are experiencing delays, while nearby Sarasota-Bradenton International is faring little better. The storm's rain bands are now moving through the area, affecting countless coastal cities.

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'Debby will produce a variety of life-threatening and significant impacts for days to come,' AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter warned over the weekend, after flooding was reported in parts of South Florida Saturday night. 

'We urge people, businesses, and government officials in the path of the storm to frequently check the AccuWeather forecast, even more than you typically would

'This storm is going to make for a dangerous and long week for people in parts of the southeastern United States,' the expert further warned.

'Please do not be lulled into any false sense of security that Debby is presently rated as a tropical storm.

'Tragically, we have seen many situations in the past where people have not prepared to the level that matched the dangerous threats that exist from such a storm due to the limitations of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.'

The expert proceeded to point out how the metric used by most meteorologists and the National Hurricane Center 'only categorizes a tropical storm or hurricane by its wind intensity', and not its propensity for storm surge.

He said one storm that fooled the wind scale was the hurricane that hit the Carolinas in 2018 known as Florence, which made landfall as a Category One hurricane on the scale but would have been a 4 on AccuWeather RealImpact™ due to the catastrophic flooding it incurred.

Debby holds the potential of creating life-threatening storm surge to the tune of six-ten feet, Porter and other experts said.

A preview of what's to come was seen along beach cities like Fort Myers, Sanibel Island, and Gulf Port, which are all set along the state's famously volatile western coast.

Meanwhile the storm continues to move slowly across the Gulf of Mexico, where it is picking up steam.

It is set to slam into the Sunshine State sometime around 8pm, officials said - at which point its full wrath will be felt.

By Monday morning, it is poised to produce rainfall totals of around six to 12 inches, with maximum amounts of 18 inches in some areas further north.

Meanwhile, as Porter mentioned, the situation is constantly evolving, masking 'the magnitude of the dangers and impacts from the storm throughout the week,' the meteorologist warned.

Widespread flooding impacts are possible across the Southeast as well, he said - as the storm is set to move northeast across the state around 6am Monday, before heading off over the Atlantic around 8pm.

During that span, cities like Gainesville and Jacksonville will be at risk, along with areas along the east coast like Fernandina Beach and St Augustine. 

For now Fort Myers appears to be the hardest hit, though despite intense flooding, no official evacuation order has been given.

Cape Coral is also experiencing flooding, as are the sister cities' barrier island Sanibel, as is Gulf Port further north.

The latter is set to be bombarded when the storm strikes Tampa around 8pm, as it makes its way further north.

At that point, meteorologists predict it will pivot to the northeast, passing over the southern Georgia and the northern part of the state.

By then, Debby is predicted to be a full-blown hurricane and could still strengthen even more.

Citizens in areas set to be affected are advised to stay indoors. Power outages are expected.

'As AccuWeather Hurricane Experts have been stressing since last week, ahead of other known sources, confidence is increasing in major flooding from persistent heavy rainfall in parts of the southeastern United States,' officials said Saturday.

 'Experts are increasingly concerned that if heavy rain bands produce copious rainfall over the same areas for days, a catastrophic flooding disaster may occur in some places,' Porter personally reiterated.

 'If there is heavy rain inland across the Carolinas, that water will eventually enter rivers and other waterways that flow toward the coast. 

'Water flowing toward the coast, coupled with the persistent onshore flow, can back up the rivers because they won't be able to drain, further amplifying what can already be major flooding concerns along and near the coastal areas.'