Nicole heads up East Coast after 4 deaths in Florida

Nicole made landfall as a hurricane Thursday morning.

Nicole made landfall along Florida's east coast as a Category 1 hurricane early Thursday before weakening to a tropical depression later that night.

It was the second-latest hurricane landfall in a calendar year on record in the United States.

Nicole formed as a subtropical storm in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean on Monday, becoming the 14th named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which ends later this month.


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Nicole churns over Georgia with 'heavy' rain

Tropical Depression Nicole was churning over Georgia early Friday morning, wielding maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour with higher gusts, according to the National Weather Service.

The center of Nicole is forecast to move across central and northern Georgia on Friday morning and over the western Carolinas later in the day. Nicole is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone later Friday, then dissipate overnight as it merges with a frontal system over the eastern United States.

In a public advisory early Friday, the National Weather Service said that Nicole will continue to bring "heavy" rainfall to portions of the southeastern U.S. There are currently no coastal watches or warnings in effect.


Here's where Nicole is headed next

Areas of heavy rain and gusty winds will continue to impact parts of the Southeast overnight as the system begins its move up the East Coast.

A tornado threat continues for portions of Georgia, South Carolina and now southern North Carolina as of Thursday night.

A tornado watch is in effect until at least 1 a.m., including in Savannah, Georgia; Charleston, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina.

-ABC News' Dan Peck


Nicole weakens to tropical depression

Nicole has weakened to a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds now down to 35 mph.

The storm is currently moving to the northwest at 15 mph and the center is located about 20 miles north of Tallahassee.

All tropical storm and storm surge warnings have been canceled.

-ABC News' Dan Peck


Evacuations ordered of ‘unsafe’ buildings in Florida county

Officials in Volusia County declared that 49 beachfront buildings are “unsafe” and have ordered people to evacuate amid now-Tropical Storm Nicole.

“The structural damage along our coastline is unprecedented,” County Manager George Recktenwald said on the county’s website. “We have never experienced anything like this before, so we ask for your patience as we make our assessments. As always, the safety of our residents and visitors is our top priority. This is going to be a long road to recovery.”

Some of the impacted buildings are hotels and condos, officials said.

-ABC News’ Matt Foster


Coastline damage 'unprecedented' in Volusia County

In Volusia County, Florida, damage along the coastline is “unprecedented,” according to county manager George Recktenwald.

Nineteen hotels or condos and 40 single-family homes have been compromised after sustaining damage from the storm, said Kevin Captain, the county’s director of community information. Some of the buildings partially collapsed, he said.

No deaths have been reported in the county, Captain said. One person has been injured, he said.

-ABC News’ Victoria Arancio