Nicole struck east-central Florida on Thursday because the system, lowered to tropical storm level, moved inland with strong winds and heavy rains.
The rare November hurricane landed early Thursday morning south of Vero Beach on the state’s east coast as a Category 1 storm with a maximum continuous wind of 75 mph.
The storm was expected to achieve Georgia and Karolin later Thursday and Friday, and heavy rains could flood a part of the region.
Nicole strengthened herself right into a Category 1 hurricane when she landed on Grand Bahama Island on Wednesday, in response to the National Hurricane Center. That is the primary hurricane to land so late within the 12 months on the east coast of Florida.
Recent alerts and watches have been issued for a lot of parts of Florida, including the Southwest coast of the Persian Gulf, which was devastated by Hurricane Ian, which struck a Category 4 storm on September 28. The storm ravaged homes and damaged crops, including orange groves, across the state – damage many are still facing.
The hurricane center has warned Nicole will bring heavy downpours, strong winds and a dangerous storm surge on Wednesday night. Nicole can be expected to cause flash and concrete floods. This has already led to officials shutting down airports and theme parks and ordering evacuation, including ex-president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.
As a tropical storm, Nicole landed on Wednesday at 11:55 am on Great Abaco Island within the northwestern Bahamas. The storm has been reported to have maximum sustained winds of 70 mph.
Officials within the Bahamas said greater than 860 people were housed in greater than two dozen shelters. The northwest region of the archipelago has seen extensive flooding, felled trees, and power and water outages.
In Florida, the St. Lucie said in a tweet that a storm wave from Nicole had already pierced a coastal wall along the Indian River Drive that runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office also reported that seawater has disturbed a part of the road on Hutchinson Island.
Residents of several Florida counties – Flagler, Palm Beach, Martin and Volusia – were ordered to evacuate such barrier islands, low-lying areas, and caravans. Volusia, home to Daytona Beach, imposed a curfew and warned that the interbank bridges utilized by evacuees could be closed when winds hit 39mph.
About 400 people checked into evacuation centers in Palm Beach County on Wednesday.
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States hit by Nicole
Nicole is predicted to affect most of Florida and parts of the US Southeast region
Upon reaching the east coast of Florida, downtown Nicole is predicted to maneuver through central and northern Florida to south Georgia on Thursday evening after which to Carolina on Friday.
Forecasts predicted tornadoes from Wednesday night through Thursday in eastern Florida, southeastern Georgia, and southern South Carolina. Heavy rainfall is a significant problem, and Nicole can create a dangerous storm surge of as much as 5 feet in areas along the coasts of Florida and Georgia.
Several communities on the east coast of Florida have been ordered or ordered to evacuate. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that 15 shelters had opened on the state’s coast on Wednesday.
DeSantis said the Florida National Guard has activated 600 guards in addition to seven city search and rescue teams on standby.
President Joe Biden also approved federal emergency aid for 45 of Florida’s 67 counties, together with the Miccosukee tribe and the Seminole tribe.
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What damage can Nicole do?
Category 1 hurricanes maintain dangerous winds of 74 to 95 mph which can cause some damage to homes, trees, and power lines.
DeSantis said the Floridians should expect power cuts. About 16,000 line staff are prepared for the restoration efforts.
In response to local officials, not less than half a dozen multi-story, seaside apartment buildings on the Daytona Beach Shores which have already been devastated by Hurricane Ian are threatened by Nicole.
In response to AccuWeather, there will probably be gusts north of Nicole’s eye of 60 to 80mph, with gusts near 100mph possible. Structural failure can occur under these conditions, and occasional blackouts can occur lots of of miles from where Nicole’s center comes ashore.
Hurricane Nicole tracker
Contribution: Associated Press
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