Nicole is on track to hit Florida as a Category 1 hurricane and will have major impacts all along the southeastern US coastline. Winter warnings in 8 Western states, Today’s weather alerts, and the 3-day forecast.
NWS weather alerts for Tuesday
Here are Tuesday’s weather alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Winter storm warning: southwestern and south-central Montana; southeastern Idaho; northwestern Wyoming; north-central, central, south-central and southwestern Utah; northeastern and southern Nevada; northern, eastern and southern California.
Winter weather advisory for portions of: Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado.
Winter storm watch for portions of: Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota.
High wind warning and wind advisories for portions of: California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado Wyoming, and Maine.
Tropical storm warning: east-central and southern Florida; the eastern coast of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
Tropical storm watch: central and southern Florida, eastern and western coasts of Florida.
Nicole expected to strengthen to a hurricane and strike Florida, will impact the southeastern US coastline
Sub-tropical Storm Nicole is expected to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 75 mph around 1 AM on Thursday and make landfall along Florida’s east-central coast, Click Orlando reported. The storm was expected to arrive farther south, but computer models shifted on Thursday a bit farther to the north.
After making landfall, Nicole will become a tropical storm and is expected to be over the Tampa Bay area by 1 PM on Thursday, still packing winds of 50 mph.
As of 7 AM ET on Tuesday, Nicole had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, moving West-Northwest at 8 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), and was located roughly 400 miles east-northeast of the Bahamas, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Storm will have impacts all along the southeastern US coastline, with flooding likely
“Don’t let the ‘sub’ fool you,” the National Weather Service tweeted. “#Nicole is a formidable storm that will have major impacts all along the southeastern U.S. coastline, not only near the center. Coastal flooding, large waves, and rip currents will extend from the tip of FL to NC.”
The 3-day forecast: Heavy snow, freezing rain, flooding rain ahead
Here’s a look at the current 3-day forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Tuesday: Heavy snow and potential flooding in West, scattered thunderstorms elsewhere
West: Snow over Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, with heavy snowfall over portions of Wyoming, Utah, and California. Heavy rain over most of California, heavy along the coast from the central portion of the state all the way south to Mexico with flash flooding possible. Scattered thunderstorms over parts of Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. Rain over portions of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.
Central US: Scattered thunderstorms from Texas to the Great Lakes.
Florida: Thunderstorms over Central and Southern Florida as the state begins to pick up the impacts of Sub Tropical Storm Nicole.
Wednesday: Widespread snow in the West and upper Midwest, Nicole to impact Florida and Southeast Coast
West: Widespread snow over portions of California, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and into the Dakotas, where freezing rain is also possible.
Central US: Mixed precipitation over central and northern Minnesota, with thunderstorms over parts of Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and northern Michigan. Scattered rain showers over parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Southeast: Nicole is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm and impact most of Florida, as well as the southeast coastal regions of Georgia and the Carolinas. Flooding rain is possible over much of Florida.
Thursday: Potential hurricane to strike Florida, heavy snow and freezing rain for upper Midwest
West/Midwest: Heavy snow over West and Midwest over Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, the Dakotas and Minnesota. Heavy snow is possible over portions of Montana, the Dakotas, and Minnesota. Freezing rain is possible over parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota, with mixed precipitation likely for most of the upper Midwest. Thunderstorms are possible from Oklahoma to the Great Lakes region.
South/Southeast: Nicole is expected to strike Florida as a Category 1 hurricane, then diminish to a tropical storm while still packing winds of 50 mph. Possible flooding rain over central and northern Florida; southern, southeastern, and east central Georgia; southern South Carolina. Thunderstorms over Florida, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. Rain over Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
