Hurricane Nicole made landfall around 3 a.m. this morning at Vero Beach, Fla., as a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It’s only the fourth November hurricane to make a U.S., according to the center.
Nicole had been downgraded to a tropical storm by 7 a.m., bringing wind and heavy rain to central Florida and the Gulf Coast, parts of which are still recovering from Hurricane Ian. Nicole is expected to head north and pick up a cold front, bringing rain as far as New England to start the weekend.
Nicole is a large storm with hazards extending well to north of its center. A dangerous storm surge was expected along portions of the east-central and northeastern Florida coast, parts of Georgia and Florida’s Big Bend along the Gulf Coast.
Flooding also is expected, especially on waterways that are already near flood stage. Flooding will be possible Friday through the central Appalachians, extending northeast by Friday night and into Saturday.
