Nicole heads toward Florida coast as Category 1 hurricane, states of emergency declared

Nicole strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday after sweeping through the Bahamas en route to landfall along Florida’s east coast.

Nicole arrived ashore over Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas with maximum winds of 70 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The hurricane’s approach has left many communities fearful after having already endured the wrath of Hurricane Ian, which walloped the Southwest Florida coast on Sept. 28 as a Category 4 hurricane. At least 109 people died.

As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, the hurricane center said Nicole was 105 miles to the east of West Palm Beach, Florida. The hurricane is moving westward at 12 mph toward Florida’s east coast.

Projections put landfall along the Treasure Coast late Wednesday or early Thursday.

In Florida, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said in a tweet that storm surge from Nicole had already breached the sea wall along Indian River Drive, which runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean. The Martin County Sheriff’s office also said seawater had breached part of a road on Hutchinson Island.

Residents in several Florida counties — Flagler, Palm Beach, Martin, and Volusia — were ordered to evacuate such barrier islands, low-lying areas, and mobile homes. Volusia, home to Daytona Beach, imposed a curfew and warned that intercoastal bridges used by evacuees would close when winds reach 39 mph.

After making U.S. landfall, Nicole’s center is forecast to move across central and northern Florida into southern Georgia on Thursday and Thursday night, then into the Carolinas on Friday.

Here’s what we know.

Where is Hurricane Nicole now?

Here is the latest data on Hurricane Nicole from the National Hurricane Center’s 6 p.m. EST advisory.

• Location: 105 miles east of West Palm Beach
• Maximum sustained winds: 75 mph
• Movement: west at 12 mph
• Pressure: 980 millibars
• When next advisory will be released: 7 p.m. EST