Hurricane Debby tracker: Follow storm's path as it washes ashore Florida's Gulf Coast

The former Tropical Storm Debby grew to Category 1 hurricane windspeeds late Sunday night as it moved closer toward an expected Gulf Coast landfall Monday.

What should be the first hurricane of the year to hit Florida is forecast to bring rain totals that could reach 30 inches in parts of the Southeast by the end of the week and the risk of life-threatening storm surge .

The storm was reported to have maximum sustained windspeeds of 75 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center's 11 p.m. ET Sunday update.

A Category 1 hurricane has sustained winds of 74-95 mph on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. The storms are capable of damaging building structures, primarily to unanchored older model mobile homes, according to the National Hurricane Center. Category 1 storms can also damage poorly constructed signs, shrubbery, and trees, turning loose outdoor items into projectiles. The storms can produce numerous power outages.

Where is Debby heading?

In an update Sunday evening, meteorologists with the National Hurricane Center said hurricane conditions were expected Monday along portions of Florida's Big Bend region. A hurricane warning covered an area that stretched more than 100 miles, from Valdosta, Georgia south to Dixie County, Florida on the Gulf Coast.

Tropical storm conditions were forecast Monday along the west coast of Florida for an area that includes Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Hurricane Debby tracker

This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time.

Hurricane Debby spaghetti models

Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest-performing models to help make its forecasts.

Florida weather watches and warnings

USA TODAY's weather alerts page keeps you up to date with the latest watches and warnings from around the U.S .

Florida power outage tracker

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane Debby tracker: Follow storm's path as it washes ashore Florida's Gulf Coast