Update – 9:00 AM EST

Hurricane Nicole has been downgraded to tropical storm status as she moves up the Florida peninsula.



Our communities along Florida’s east coast are faring very well – most have gotten rain and high wind gusts, but nothing that wasn’t expected or managed. Those communities not on the east coast are beginning to feel winds pick up and rain has started. So far, communities are in good shape and spirits.

The storm is expected to 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 move across the Florida Panhandle and Georgia tonight and on Friday.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 60 MPH 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 remains a large tropical storm with tropical-storm-force winds extending outward up to 450 miles from the center, especially to the north. Daytona Beach, Florida, recently reported sustained winds of 49 MPH with a wind gust of 70 MPH.