RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Ahead of Tropical Storm Debby, occupations that spend a considerable amount of time outdoors are keeping their eyes to the sky. Landscapers, airline baggage handlers, construction crews, and roofers are all among the trades that spend the majority, if not all, of their time braving the elements.

“We’ve got temporary water proofing measures in just to make sure our building is nice and tight and protecting our materials,” said Nathan Nelli, a supervisor for Clancy & Theys. “(We) take it seriously. Make sure all of our doors are secured. Make sure we don’t have any loose materials. Make sure everything is organized and in a safe location or blowing off our project site.”

The comments come as Debby inches closer to the Tar Heel state and prepares to dump heavy rain and possibly flood multiple areas.

SEE ALSO | First Alert Radars tracking Debby as storm crawls into NC; Gov issues warning of impact

Debby won’t bring extreme wind like some strong hurricanes, but the gusts could still be dangerous. Nelli said the cranes on the company’s construction site near the State Farmer’s Market are designed to swing in the event of high gusts of wind.

“It may not look right. But I promise you it’s operating the way that it’s supposed to,” said Nelli.

Meanwhile, Baker Roofing is preparing to pause work on residential improvement projects while getting ready for phone calls due to potential damage caused by Debby.

“We’re allocating additional resources to not only come out and assess and dry in,” Baker Roofing Vice President Keith Gregory. “But also meet the customer demand on the back side of that as we work with their insurance companies to help them get on the other side of that storm event.”

Gregory and the team are keeping a close watch throughout the day as the forecast continues to take shape.

“(We) sit down, assess the storm in the morning, assess it in the afternoon. These things can be unpredictable.”

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper delivers a new conference about Tropical Storm Debby alongside state officials at the National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh on Aug. 7, 2024. (Photo by Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline)

Gov. Roy Cooper and North Carolina officials said Wednesday the state was prepared for widespread and potentially severe flash flooding in the coming days as Tropical Storm Debby sweeps across the east coast.

“All North Carolinians across our state need to be prepared for a deluge,” Cooper said in a news conference broadcast to the public. “More rain than most of us see in a month, or even several months.”

Southeastern portions of the state could see as much of 15 inches of rain as the storm moves through, and up to 10 inches in central parts of the state. The storm is set to bring multiple days of heavy precipitation due to its “slow, gradual approach.”

Cooper urged residents to listen to local guidance, avoid flooded roads and follow evacuation orders in parts of the state where they are needed.

The state has deployed 17 swift water rescue teams, primarily to eastern parts of the state. Food and supplies are set to be distributed to nine counties in the southeast corner.

Cooper said as of Wednesday, he didn’t expect rivers to reach the levels seen during Hurricanes Florence and Matthew. But he said that, tentatively, state officials expect rivers to crest starting Friday, and possibly through Sunday.

“We hope that this event will not approach the catastrophic nature of both of those hurricanes,” Cooper said. “But it just shows us, we have to pay attention to resiliency, to building code standards.”

Cooper declared a state of emergency on Monday, allowing for state agencies to swiftly respond to outages and deliver supplies when needed.

And on Wednesday morning, President Joe Biden authorized FEMA to provide disaster assistance for affected counties. FEMA has personnel on the ground in the state as of today, state officials said.

Fatalities from the storm have already been reported in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, said Cooper, who said “our prayers are with our southern neighbors.”

North Carolinians seeking more information about the storm and what they should do to prepare should visit ReadyNC.gov. And you can follow forecasts for flooding and water levels at FIMAN.nc.gov.

Tropical Storm Debby still was packing 40 mph winds as its center hovered over the Atlantic Ocean about 50 miles east-southeast of Savannah, Georgia, and about 70 miles south-southwest of Charleston, South Carolina, the National Hurricane Center said in an 11 p.m. ET Tuesday advisory.

The storm was inching eastward at about 5 mph.

“A slow motion toward the east and then north is expected through Thursday night. On the forecast track, the center of Debby is expected to slowly move away from the coast of Georgia and South Carolina tonight, continue to drift offshore through early Thursday, and then move inland over South Carolina on Thursday,” the hurricane center said. 

Some strengthening is expected for Debby on Wednesday, but the storm is not expected to become a hurricane again. 

Heavy rainfall, gusty winds and a few tornadoes remain possible across the Southeast for Wednesday. 

Debby is expected to produce potentially historic rainfall storm totals across eastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina through Friday. Rainfall totals of 10 to 20 inches are possible, with isolated totals potentially reaching 25 inches in some areas.

Southeastern Georgia could see another 1 to 3 inches of rain. 

The remainder of South Carolina, southwestern Virginia, portions of the mid-Atlantic and New York, and eventually northern New England could see 3-6 inches with isolated totals approaching 8 inches through Saturday.

Here are the current watches and warnings in place: