JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hurricane Nicole made landfall at 3:04 a.m. on Florida’s east coast according to the National Hurricane Center, after becoming a Category 1 storm Wednesday evening.
As of the 10 p.m. advisory,
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- Tropical Storm Warnings now in effect for all of Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.
- Storm Surge Warnings remained in effect for the entire coastline and the St. Johns River.
As conditions deteriorate with heavier rains and wind overnight Wednesday, we could see coastal conditions similar to what Ian left us with along Northeast Florida by Thursday morning. In contrast with Ian, Nicole brings windier and wetter conditions well inland.
At 10 p.m. Wednesday, the center of Nicole was located 75 miles east of West Palm Beach.
Nicole is moving toward the west near 13 mph. A turn toward the northwest is expected Thursday, followed by a turn toward the northwest on Thursday, and north or north-northeast on Friday.
On the forecast track, the center of Nicole will move near or over Grand Bahama Island in the northwestern Bahamas this afternoon and evening, and move onshore the east coast of Florida within the hurricane warning area tonight. Nicole’s center is then expected to move across central and northern Florida into southern Georgia Thursday and Thursday night, and into the Carolinas Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected this evening, and Nicole is forecast to remain a hurricane until it reaches the east coast of Florida tonight or early Thursday. Nicole is expected to weaken while moving across Florida and the southeastern United States Thursday through Friday, and it is likely to become a post-tropical cyclone by Friday afternoon.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 980 mb.
Wednesday winds will begin gusting to 40-50 mph, with some of the highest winds overnight into Thursday morning as the low crosses south Florida.
For areas further inland, strong northerly winds may also slow or temporarily prevent the decline of the St. Johns River from previous rain from Hurricane Ian.
Impacts: Wednesday - Friday
- Surf zone breakers waves: 10ft waves
- Dangerous rip currents
- Offshore seas: 16-22 feet Thursday
- Greatest high tide erosion Thursday morning
- Near full moon coastal flooding (especially during high tides)
- Scattered showers & storms
- Storm surge 3-5′ Beach, On the St. Johns south of downtown 2-4′
- Wind gusts 40+ mph Wednesday-Thursday morning