CNN —
Nicole has weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane along Florida’s east coast early Thursday morning, lashing the region with heavy rain and dangerous storm surge as it became the first hurricane to hit the U.S. in November in nearly 40 years.
The storm made landfall just south of Vero Beach with sustained winds of 75 mph before weakening to a tropical storm a short time later, the National Hurricane Center said. It is bringing strong winds and heavy rain to some areas that were hit by Hurricane Ian less than two months ago.
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Nicole’s colossal trail has led to the closure of many schools, colleges and universities, as well as the cancellation of hundreds of flights and the closure of amusement parks. In addition, some residents evacuated their homes after they were deemed unsafe and in danger of collapsing due to the effects of the storm.
In Volusia County, officials told people to evacuate more than 20 buildings found to be structurally unsound due to Ian’s impact in late September.
“There is a strong possibility that one or more buildings will collapse during the storm,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood told CNN’s WESH-TV on Wednesday. “Right now, ground zero is here.”
Nicole, which also threatens to spawn tornadoes, is expected to weaken into a depression early Friday and become a posttropical cyclone in the Southeast.
On Wednesday afternoon, Nicole brought strong winds and a dangerous storm surge to the northwestern Bahamas, the US National Hurricane Center said.
Here’s what you need to know:
Tens of thousands without power: More than 80,000 homes and businesses were without power early Thursday after the storm made landfall in Florida, according to Poweroutage.us. A tropical storm warning is in effect from Boca Raton to the Flagler-Volusia county line in Florida. Up to 8 inches of rain may drench eastern, central and northern parts of Florida. Additionally, 2 to 6 inches are expected from parts of the southeastern U.S. to the southern and central Appalachians and western mid-Atlantic by Friday, the hurricane center said.
Historic hurricane: Nicole’s landfall on Thursday was historic because it became the last hurricane in a calendar year to ever make landfall on Florida’s Atlantic coast. The storm’s landfall broke a previous record set by Hurricane Yankee, which hit Florida’s east coast on November 4, 1935.
Residents urged to evacuate dangerous buildings: Before Nicole’s landfall, officials asked people to evacuate certain buildings considered dangerous to weather the storm. At Nea Smyrni beach, officials found that some flats are unhealthy due to the erosion of a seawall. And in Daytona Beach Shores, which is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Ian, at least 11 buildings are at risk of collapsing, according to Department of Public Safety Director Michael Fowler.
School closings and flight cancellations: Many school districts, colleges and universities have closed as the storm approaches, according to the Florida Department of Education. Orlando International Airport suspended operations Wednesday afternoon, and Miami International Airport said cancellations were possible but did not plan to close.
South Carolinians should prepare: People across the state should prepare for the possibility that Nicole will bring heavy rain and winds. “Given the uncertainty of the storm’s strength and track as it approaches South Carolina, residents should have their personal emergency plans ready to go just in case we need to take safety precautions later in the week,” Kim said. Stenson, head of state. emergency management department.
