ORLANDO, Fla. – Hurricane Nicole made landfall early Thursday morning, and now the storm’s center is making its way into Central Florida.
Wind gusts and heavy rain increased throughout Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
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WINDS:
Due to the sheer size of Nicole, with tropical storm force winds extending outward up to 485 miles to the north, most of Central Florida will experience gusty winds over 40 mph starting Wednesday and through Thursday.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center. Tropical storm conditions will continue along portions of the east coast of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina in the warning areas today. Tropical storm conditions will begin soon within the warning area along the west coast of Florida and will continue through this evening.
RAINFALL:
Storm total rainfall from repeated rounds of heavy showers could produce accumulations of 4 to 6 inches across coastal counties, with isolated totals up to 8 inches, and 2 to 4 inches with locally higher amounts up to 6 inches inland.
A flood watch remains in place for all of east Central Florida. Nuisance flooding and ponding of water on roadways will be likely. This additional rainfall is expected to stall or decrease in river levels or even cause some rises.
BEACHES:
Dangerous conditions will continue across area beaches and the local Atlantic waters, with high, rough pounding surf, deadly rip currents and beach erosion. Weather conditions will only continue to deteriorate overnight.
A storm surge warning remains in effect for the entirety of east Central Florida coast, for the potential of 3-5 feet of surge above ground level and as much as 6 feet in spots.
Strong and gusty onshore winds through Wednesday night will produce very high seas and large breaking waves. These winds, high seas and surf will combine with high tides to bring the threat of significant beach erosion around the times of the high tide cycle.
COUNTY BY COUNTY BREAKDOWN:
Flagler, Volusia and Brevard counties:
- Winds = 50-80 mph
- Rain = 4-8 inches
Lake and Sumter counties:
- Winds = 30-40 mph
- Rain = 1-2 inches/flooding
Marion County:
- Winds = 40-60 mph
- Rain = 2-4 inches/flooding
Orange and Seminole counties:
- Winds = 45-65 mph
- Rain = 4-8 inches/flooding
Osceola and Polk counties:
- Winds = 50-70 mph
- Rain = 4-8 inches/flooding