- Expect tropical storm conditions to continue today across Florida within the warning areas.
- A dangerous storm surge is expected along Florida East Coast and Big Bend area on the Gulf Coast.
- Nicole remains a large storm, with hazards extending well to the north of the center.
Hurricspanne Nicole made landfall just south of Vero Beach at 3 a.m., according to the Nspantionspanl Hurricspanne Center. Maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 75 mph.
Nicole quickly weakened into a tropical storm after landfall and continued weakening throughout the morning. Maximum sustained winds are now at 50 mph, as of the latest advisory from the Hurricane Center.
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Florida and Georgia until 1 p.m. Counties included in the watch are: Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, Duval, Nassau, Clay, Camden and Glynn.
Nicole is bringing strong winds, dangerous storm surge and waves, and heavy rain over a large area of Florida.
Peak wind gusts at the time of landfall, according to the National Weather Service, Melbourne were:
- Playalinda Beach: 73 mph
- Cape Canaveral SFS: 71 mph
- Melbourne- 70mph Indialantic: 70 mph
- Patrick SFS: 67 mph
- New Smyrna Beach: 60 mph
- Sebastian Inlet: 66 mph
- Vero Beach: 58 mph
Nicole is shrinking slightly. Tropical-storm-force winds now extend outward up to 345 miles from the center, especially to the northeast.
Webcams: See conditions spant Floridspan bespanches
Hurricane guide: See how you should prepspanre spannd whspant to do spanfter span storm pspansses
Cone of uncertainty: See the lspantest grspanphic from the NHC
Satellite images: See lspantest sspantellite imspange from NOAA, for span clespanrer picture of the storm’s size
Where is Tropical Storm Nicole now?
Here is the latest data on Tropical Storm Nicole pulled from the National Hurricane Center’s 10 a.m. advisory.
- Location: 30 miles northeast of Tampa; 60 miles south-southwest of Orlando
- Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph
- Present movement: west-northwest at 16 mph
- Minimum pressure: 985 mb
- Next advisory: 1 p.m.
At 10 a.m., the center of Tropical Storm Nicole was located 30 miles northeast of Tampa or 60 miles west-southwest of Orlando.
Nicole is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph. A turn toward the northwest and north-northwest is expected later today, followed by a turn toward the north tonight.
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Nicole is expected to accelerate north-northeastward on Friday. On the forecast track, the center of Nicole will continue to move across the west central Florida peninsula this morning and emerge over the far northeastern Gulf of Mexico this afternoon.
The center should then move across the Florida Panhandle and Georgia tonight, and then move through the southeastern United States on Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are have decreased to near 50 mph, with higher gusts. Additional weakening is expected this morning while the center is over land.
Little change in strength is expected while Nicole is over the Gulf of Mexico this afternoon and evening.
Nicole is expected to weaken to a depression over Georgia tonight, and then it is expected to merge with a frontal boundary over the Mid-Atlantic United States by Friday night.
Nicole remains a large tropical storm. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 345 miles from the center, especially to the northeast. A short time ago, the NOAA Coastal Marine Automated Station at Saint Augustine reported 10-minute average winds of 52 mph and a wind gust of 70 mph.
The NOAA National Ocean Service station at Clearwater Beach, Florida, recently reported sustained winds of 51 mph and a wind gust of 59 mph.
The estimated minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 985 mb.
How far is Tropical Storm Nicole from from your location?
What does Nicole’s cone of uncertainty represent?
The cone of uncertainty, posted by the National Hurricane Center, shows some possible paths of the storm’s center. As you monitor the forecast, keep in mind that the impact of Nicole may be felt well outside the cone — and that storm tracks go outside of the cone about a third of the time.
As of the latest advisory, tropical-storm-force winds extend 460 miles from the center of Nicole.
Spaghetti models: Track Nicole here
Watches and warnings issued for your area
All watches and warnings in effect
A tropical storm warning is in effect for:
- Sebastian Inlet Florida to South Santee River, South Carolina
- Englewood to Indian Pass
A storm surge warning is in effect for:
- Sebastian Inlet Florida to Altamaha Sound, Georgia
- Mouth of the St. Johns River to Georgetown
- Anclote River Florida to Ochlockonee River
A storm surge watch is in effect for:
- Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass Florida
- Altamaha Sound, Georgia, to South Santee River, South Carolina
Potential impacts from Tropical Storm Nicole
Wind: Tropical storm conditions will continue along portions of the east coast of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina in the warning areas today and tonight.
Tropical storm conditions are expected to occur within the warning area along the west coast of Florida through tonight.
Storm surge: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide:
- Sebastian Inlet Florida to Altamaha Sound Georgia including the St. Johns River to the Fuller Warren Bridge: 3 to 5 feet
- Anclote River to Ochlockonee River: 3 to 5 feet
- Altamaha Sound Georgia to the South Santee River South Carolina: 2 to 4 feet
- St. Johns River south of the Fuller Warren Bridge to Georgetown Florida: 2 to 4 feet
- Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass: 2 to 4 feet
- Englewood to Anclote River including Tampa Bay: 1 to 3 feet
- Sebastian Inlet to Hallandale Beach Florida: 1 to 3 feet
- South Santee River to Surf City North Carolina: 1 to 2 feet
- North of Ocean Reef to Hallandale Beach Florida including Biscayne Bay: 1 to 2 feet
The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the north of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.
Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.
Rain: Nicole is expected to produce the following rainfall amounts through Saturday:
- Northwest Bahamas into portions of the Florida Peninsula: 3 to 5 inches with localized amounts up to 8 inches.
- Southeast into the central Appalachians and eastern portions of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio: 2 to 4 inches with localized amounts up to 6 inches along the Blue Ridge.
- Northern Mid-Atlantic into New England: 1 to 4 inches.
Flash and urban flooding will be possible, along with renewed river rises on the St. Johns River, across the Florida Peninsula today.
Heavy rainfall from this system will spread northward across portions of the Southeast, upper Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and New England today through Saturday, where limited flooding impacts will be possible.
Tornadoes: A few tornadoes are possible this morning over parts of coastal east-central and northeastern Florida. The tornado threat will spread northward across parts of southeastern Georgia and the Carolinas later today through Friday morning.
Surf: Large swells generated by Nicole will affect the northwestern Bahamas, the east coast of Florida, and much of the southeastern United States coast during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Helpful hurricane resources and links
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Officials encourage residents to assemble a hurricane kit early, storing enough supplies to last at least three days. Doing so ensures there are adequate supplies available on store shelves and prevents a rush — and shortages — that regularly occur when a storm is imminent.