While Debby’s been a downer, local authorities are doing what they can to keep it from being a drowner.

Thanks to the fickle and slow-moving tropical storm meandering about the Gulf of Mexico since Saturday — and expected to do so for about another five days with little movement — Osceola County has seen near-constant rain since Sunday morning, but stormwater collection areas have done their job, emergency service officials said.

Upper ranges of rainfall totals ranged from 2.3 to 3.5 inches for a 24-hour period ending late Monday morning across Orange, Osceola and Brevard counties, according to reports to the National Weather Service office in Melbourne.

A tornado watch, meaning conditions are conducive for possible formation, went into affect for most of Central Florida late Sunday night and is in effect until 2 p.m. today — unless it is extended.

“That is definitely a possibility due to the storm’s lack of movement,” NWS forecaster Derrick Weitlich said.

Damage reports from a possible tornado imbedded in the same thunderstorm cell came in from Yeehaw Junction, where the Florida Highway Patrol reported damage to a Florida’s Turnpike toll plaza, and Titusville late Sunday night.

St. Cloud Fire Rescue Chief Bill Johnston also reported evidence of a tornado touchdown along the new stretch of Nolte Road between Michigan Avenue and Old Hickory Tree Road. Damage was confined to small trees, although some St. Cloud residents have reported other minor storm-related damage to homes and structures.

A lake wind advisory also is in effect until 8 p.m. this evening, as winds of 20-25 mph are expected today along with higher gusts, Weitlich said Monday morning. Reported wind gusts Sunday night included 26 mph and 31 mph at reporting stations at the Kissimmee and Orlando airports respectively. A small craft advisory is also in affect for local waterways.

Flooding will be the area’s biggest threat from Debby. While not forecasted to ever become a hurricane as of Monday’s 11 a.m. National Hurricane Center’s advisory, which put the storm’s maximum sustained winds at 45 mph, the center of circulation is not projected to make landfall until Thursday in the Big Bend area, and then take up to two days to cross the state. This means heavy feeder bands, soaking rains, high precipitation totals and local flooding could be mainstays of the local weather for the entire work week.

“There is a potential flooding concern,” Weitlich said, comparing the potential of this storm to Tropical Storm Fay in 2009, which dropped more than 15 inches of rain in portions of east Central Florida.

But as of Monday, street flooding has been confined to small amounts of ponding. Rich Collins, the Osceola County’s new director of Emergency Services, reported no road closures due to flooding, although the county’s operations responses are at partial activation in anticipation of further severe weather.

“We’ve got reports of some culverts overflowing, but for the most part the water’s running off fine,” he said. “Our biggest concern is the increased tornado risk  and making people aware of the threat and the possible effects.”

Debby may have even been a blessing, he said, serving as a chance to make sure all essential operations are ready for hurricane season.

“We had a hurricane exercise in May and got good information from it,” Collins said. “It’s a matter of honing the process down, and we’ve got a great team in the county to deal with these.”

Johnston reported no flooding in St. Cloud as of noon Monday.

“We are pre-staging pumps in a couple of our subdivisions to make sure we maintain adequate storm water run-off capacity,” he said.

Kissimmee Utility Authority spokesman Chris Gent said at noontime Monday that aside from a blown fuse that knocked out power for a short time Sunday morning to a few houses and businesses, power service was never interrupted, even when a severe cell blew through the area shortly before noon.

Drivers are reminded to avoid driving in flooding areas where the depth of water is unknown, and not to try to immediately restart a stalled car in flood waters, as the engine could be damaged.