Hurricane Nicole forms as Space Coast residents evacuate barrier islands, make final preparations
Nicole intensified into a Category 1 hurricane as it made landfall on Grand Bahama island ate Wednesday as it continues to churn its way toward Florida’s east coast.
As of 1 p.m.., Nicole’s maximum sustained winds were at hurricane strength. The storm is about 300 miles southeast of Melbourne Beach and is already creating dangerous surf conditions and strong, gusty winds lashing the Space Coast.
Thousands of barrier island residents are under a voluntary evacuation advisory beginning today, Brevard County Management officials stated. Residents were also scrambling to put up hurricane shutters, shop for water and pack low-lying areas near their homes with sandbags.
Officials warned residents to be prepared for the loss of power as the storm arrives. Florida Power and Light said it was preparing for outages during the storm's passage.
More: Brevard County issues evacuation advisory for Tropical Storm Nicole
More: 'Out of nowhere': Tropical Storm Nicole sends Brevard residents scrambling for sandbags
The massive storm – with bands extending up to 460 miles outward from the center - had also picked up speed, moving toward the west-southwest at 12 mph as it neared the northwestern Bahamas. The center passed over Abaco Island on Wednesday.
The National Hurricane Center’s computer models show the storm’s track with a probable landfall path somewhere south of Stuart in Martin County but with a cone of probability that still includes southern Brevard. And officials have warned that its winds extend far beyond the center path.
“It’s a little bit to the south of the previous advisory but that could change. The wind field from Nicole is over 600 miles wind. You will feel tropical storm winds at the least and you’ll see very real impact to Brevard and the rest of the state,” said Jessie Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Center in Melbourne.
“Residents should not even try to go to the beach, avoid it at all costs. It will be very, very dangerous. We’re already very rough surf.”
The trajectory further to the south of Brevard could mean more exposure to what meteorologists refer to as the more dangerous side of a hurricane.
The right front portion of the storm is where the counter-clockwise circulation pulls along the strongest winds, driving rains while potentially spawning tornadoes. If the storm’s trajectory holds and pushes into Martin County, that means the hurricane’s strongest winds and storm surge could grind along Indian River and southern Brevard counties with its passage onshore.
Several closures have already been put in place. Brevard Public Schools, which oversees nearly 75,000 students, canceled classes. Eastern Florida State University and the campus of the Florida Institute of Technology also closed. Health First, which operates four hospitals in Brevard, said it is monitoring the storm but there are no plans to evacuate Cape Canaveral Hospital on the beachside.
The Space Coast's military installations and operations are also taking precautions, including Patrick Space Force Base and the U.S. Coast Guard, which issued a notice prohibiting vessel transit for Port Canaveral.
A hurricane warning - which means hurricane-force winds are anticipated in the area - has been issued for the Space Coast and surrounding counties by the weather service along with flood watch. The weather will continue to deteriorate throughout the day with high winds and rain bands as Nicole nears the state.
J.D. Gallop is a Criminal Justice/Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @JDGallop.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Nicole to intensify into hurricane as Space Coast residents prepare
