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.
Latest headlines:
Nicole weakens as it moves over central Florida
Tropical Storm Nicole's maximum sustained winds decreased to 60 miles per hour with higher gusts as the storm’s center moved over central Florida, near Orlando, on Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
"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," the National Weather Service said in a public advisory. "Nicole is expected to merge with a frontal boundary over the Mid-Atlantic United States by Friday night."
A tropical storm warning has been discontinued for the Florida east coast south of Jupiter.
A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Jupiter, Florida, to South Carolina's South Santee River; for north of Bonita Beach to Indian Pass, Florida; and for Florida's Lake Okeechobee. A storm surge warning is in effect for Florida's Jupiter Inlet to Georgia's Altamaha Sound; for the mouth of the St. Johns River to Georgetown, Florida; and for the Anclote River to the Ochlockonee River in Florida. A storm surge watch is in effect for the Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass, Florida; and for Georgia's Altamaha Sound to South Carolina's South Santee River, according to the National Weather Service.
175,000 without power in Florida as Nicole moves inland
More than 175,000 customers were without power across Florida early Thursday morning, as Tropical Storm Nicole moved inland over the Sunshine State, according to data collected by PowerOutage.us.
As of 6:23 a.m. ET, a total of 177,423 customers did not have power.
-ABC News’ Robinson Perez
Tornado watch issued for parts of Florida, Georgia
The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for northeastern Florida and southeastern Georgia on Thursday morning, in effect until 1 p.m. local time.
Brief spin-up tornadoes are common in tropical storm systems, so more watches could be issued throughout the day.
-ABC News’ Daniel Amarante
100,000 without power in Florida after Nicole's landfall
More than 100,000 customers were without power across Florida early Thursday, shortly after Nicole made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane, according to data collected by PowerOutage.us.
-ABC News’ Robinson Perez
Disney World parks to close
Disney World parks will close early Wednesday evening and will remain closed through Thursday morning due to the storm.