Photo: NHC
Nicole has weakened to a Tropical Storm after making landfall on the Treasure Coast.
Nicole made landfall early this morning on North Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County as a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds. It quickly weakened to 70 mph winds.
At 4 a.m., Nicole is about 25 miles Northwest of Vero Beach and a bout 60 miles Southeast of Orlando and is moving West-Northwest at 14 miles per hour.
The storm is expected to move across Central Florida this morning and possibly emerge over the Gulf of Mexico this afternoon, then across the Florida Panhandle and Georgia tonight and tomorrow.
Hurricane Warnings for Palm Beach County to the Volusia/Flagler County Line have been changed to Tropical Storm Warnings. The Tropical Storm Warning South of Boca Raton to Hallandale Beach has been discontinued.
SUMMARY OF 400 AM EST...0900 UTC...INFORMATION
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LOCATION...27.8N 80.7W
ABOUT 25 MI...35 KM NW OF VERO BEACH FLORIDA
ABOUT 60 MI...95 KM SE OF ORLANDO FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...70 MPH...110 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 295 DEGREES AT 14 MPH...22 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...981 MB...28.97 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
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CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:
The Hurricane Warning from Boca Raton to the Flagler/Volusia County
Line Florida has been changed to a Tropical Storm Warning. The
Tropical Storm Warning south of Boca Raton to Hallandale Beach
has been discontinued, and the Hurricane Watch has been
discontinued for Lake Okeechobee.
The Storm Surge Warning from North Palm Beach to Jupiter Inlet has
been discontinued. The Storm Surge Watch south of North Palm Beach
to Hallandale Beach has been discontinued.
All warnings have been discontinued for the northwestern Bahamas.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Boca Raton Florida to South Santee River South Carolina
* North of Bonita Beach to Indian Pass Florida
* Lake Okeechobee
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
* Jupiter Inlet Florida to Altamaha Sound Georgia
* Mouth of the St. Johns River to Georgetown Florida
* Anclote River Florida to Ochlockonee River Florida
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for...
* Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass Florida
* Altamaha Sound Georgia to South Santee River South Carolina
DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
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At 400 AM EST (0900 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Nicole was
located inland over east-central Florida near latitude 27.8 North,
longitude 80.7 West. Nicole is moving toward the west-northwest
near 14 mph (22 km/h). A turn toward the northwest and
north-northwest is expected later today and tonight, followed by an
acceleration toward the north and north-northeast on Friday. On
the forecast track, the center of Nicole will move across central
Florida this morning, possibly emerge over the far northeastern
Gulf of Mexico this afternoon, and then moving across the Florida
Panhandle and Georgia tonight and on Friday.
Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 70 mph (110 km/h)
with higher gusts. Additional weakening is forecast while
Nicole moves over land during the next day or two, and the storm is
likely to become a tropical depression over Georgia tonight or
early Friday. Nicole 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 450 miles (720 km) from the center,
especially to the north. A sustained wind of 47 mph (76 km/h) and a
gust to 62 mph (100 km/h) were recently reported at Patrick Air
Force Base, Florida. Winds are increasing near the west coast of
Florida. A sustained wind of 38 mph (61 km/h) and a gust to 45 mph
(72 km/h) were recently reported at Clearwater Beach.
The estimated minimum central pressure based on surface
observations is 981 mb (28.97 inches).