ORLANDO, Fla. — Damage assessments are being done across Central Florida after Nicole made landfall as a Cat. 1 storm. Read live updates below:
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Nicole has weakened to a tropical depression as it moves out of Florida and on its way to the northeast, Channel 9 Certified Chief Meteorologist George Waldenberger said.
10 p.m. update
5:40 p.m. update
Brevard County is dealing with what officials are calling “significant” erosion on its coastline following Hurricane Nicole.
Images from up and down the county’s coastline show shrinking beaches and damage to the sand dunes.
Read more about the storm damage in Brevard County.
5:15 p.m. update
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex announced it will reopen Friday for normal operating hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
5 p.m. update
Full Sail University announced they will return to full campus operations on Friday at 9 a.m. Classes will be in person as scheduled and faculty and staff may return.
4:27 p.m. update
Orlando International Airport gave updates to flight operations following Hurricane Nicole.
Limited commercial operations will resume 8 p.m. Thursday evening for domestic arrivals only, the airport said in a tweet.
OIA said international and domestic operations will resume Friday.
Kevin Thibault, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority chief executive officer, said OIA did not suffer major damage. He said the damage they did experience, including water intrusion and a canopy down, will not interfere with resuming operations.
Thibault said crews are currently assessing the damage.
3:50 p.m. update:
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said four people in the county died during Tropical Storm Nicole. Two of those people died after being electrocuted by a downed powerline and the other two died in a crash on the Turnpike.
He said no other injuries have been reported, including after at least one tree fell on a home in the county.
Demings said shelters housed 186 people overnight, and many of those were stranded when Orlando International Airport closed its commercial operations.
He said all public boat ramps are closed and residents are asked to refrain from lake recreation
Lynx buses are back running as of 3 p.m.
3:20 p.m. update:
Orange County Public Schools said it will begin the process of assessing schools for damages first thing tomorrow morning, and all schools and district facilities will remain closed to the public tomorrow, Nov. 11.
Officials said Friday night’s FHSAA football playoff games have been rescheduled and additional information will be available on the school’s website and social media. All 12-month employees will report to their schools and work locations on Friday, Nov. 11.
If schools have power and are deemed safe to return, OCPS will resume normal school and district operations on Monday, Nov. 14. Another update and confirmation of reopening schools will be sent over the weekend.
3:10 p.m. update:
First responders are currently evacuating 15 people at Sea Coast Gardens II condominiums due to concerns over erosion of the building’s seawall and beach dunes. Officials said the structure was deemed unsafe by a chief building official.
2:40 p.m. update:
EDC Orlando appears to be “unaffected” by Tropical Storm Nicole, according to organizers. Read more here.
Meanwhile, some theme parks and resorts are changing their operational hours this week as the storm’s impact remains uncertain. Read the latest here.
2:30 p.m. update:
Volusia County officials said the coastline experienced “unprecedented” damage during Hurricane Nicole.
Officials said there are 11 compromised structures in Daytona Beach Shores and Wilbur by the Sea. Residents and visitors are asked not to return to the coast until all structures are deemed safe.
To allow officials to ensure the safety of the buildings and residents, they said the curfew for the area east of the Intracoastal is extended until 7 a.m. Friday.
People are asked to stay away from the beach because of the danger of the water and debris.
1:55 p.m. update:
Flagler County officials rescinded the evacuation order for the barrier island and started the process of closing the shelter at Rymfire Elementary on Thursday afternoon. Residents are still urged to stay off the barrier island.
1:45 p.m. update:
A free temporary debris drop-off site is available for Seminole County residents in the overflow parking lot at Boombah Sports Complex, 3450 E. Lake Mary Blvd, Sanford. Only unbagged vegetative debris will be accepted, and it is only for residential use, not commercial.
12:20 p.m. update:
Brevard County is collecting information about storm damage. See how you can make a damage report in the tweets below:
12:10 p.m. update:
Orange County deputies said two people have died after they were electrocuted Thursday outside a home in Orange County. Read the latest updates here.
Read: Man, woman electrocuted by downed power line in Orange County
11:55 a.m. update:
Volusia County deputies are evacuating residents from Tower Grande Condominums at 2055 S. Atlantic Ave. due to unsafe conditions after its sea wall collapsed.
11:40 a.m. update:
New Smyrna Beach bridges have reopened, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. All other bridges headed to the beachside in Volusia County remain closed.
11:35 a.m. update:
Brevard County officials are urging people to continue to stay off the roads and away from the beaches as gusty winds and rain continue in the wake of Tropical Storm Nicole.
Officials said the county has received about 3 to 5 inches of rain. There has been some flooding, but the main issue in the county has been beach erosion.
Officials said beaches that were already vulnerable from Hurricane Ian took more damage from Nicole.
In the county, 77,000 people without power right now, which is about 23% of total customers in Brevard. FPL is working to restore power.
Officials said shelters remain open until people are able to leave and return safely to their homes.
11:05 a.m. update:
Officials said part of A1A is closed in Flagler Beach because the road is collapsing due to the waves from Tropical Storm Nicole.
Read: Tropical Storm Nicole: Part of A1A collapses in Flagler Beach
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10:55 a.m. update:
Orange County Fire Rescue said one person was electrocuted and another was shocked Thursday morning. Officials have not confirmed whether the deaths are storm-related. Read more here.
Read: One person electrocuted, another shocked in Orange County
10:45 a.m. update:
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said all bridges to the beachside remain closed to traffic other than essential personnel until further notice. Deputies said a curfew in effect for the peninsula.
10:35 a.m. update:
Three Volusia County bridges have reopened after closing Wednesday due to Tropical Storm Nicole.
Volusia County reporter Mike Springer said the Florida Department of Transportation has cleared and allowed Veterans, Seabreeze and ISB bridges to reopen. The Main Street bridge remains closed.
10:30 a.m. update:
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tropical Storm Nicole is now 50 miles west of Orlando. It is still a tropical storm with winds of 50 mph. It is forecast to go into the gulf and reenter the panhandle.
He said thousands of linemen are ready to respond to power outages across the state.
10 a.m. update:
Orlando International Airport said its commercial operations were still halted Thursday due to Tropical Storm Nicole.
The airport asks passengers to continue to work with their airline in regards to their flight.
9:45 a.m. update:
Port Orange city officials said the seawall and bank on the north end of the Cambridge Canal drainage system have been compromised and the tide at Rose Bay is pushing rising water in the area.
Water levels are rising slowly and high tide is expected at about 11 a.m.
Residents are advised to be aware of the potential for flooding of roads and structures.
Precautionary evacuations are advised for low-lying areas in the Cambridge Canal area.
9:15 a.m. update:
Channel 9′s Christy Turner posted this video to Twitter on Thursday morning.
A home on South Atlantic Avenue in Wilbur-By-The-Sea crumbled and fell into the Atlantic Ocean.
See the video below, and watch live coverage on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.
9 a.m. update:
Walt Disney World said its theme parks will reopen in a phased approach, beginning at noon Thursday.
Projected park hours are as follows:
Magic Kingdom Park
Noon to 6 p.m. (Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. to midnight)
EPCOT
1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
2 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Fantasmic! will not be presented Thursday)
Transportation to the parks will begin 30 minutes prior to the scheduled park reopening time.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park will remain closed Thursday, and Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park is currently closed.
Read more details about reopenings at the resort by clicking here.
Watch the news conference live on Channel 9 or by clicking here once it begins.
8 a.m. update:
Gov. Ron DeSantis will provide an update Thursday morning as Tropical Storm Nicole moves over Florida.
DeSantis is set to speak at 10:30 a.m. from State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee.
Read: DeSantis to hold news conference Thursday as Nicole moves through Florida
Watch the news conference live on Channel 9 or by clicking here once it begins.
The governor will be joined by Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie.
7 a.m. update:
The city of Cocoa is sending out a warning to drivers about downed trees.
Cocoa officials said there are reports of trees down throughout the city.
A large tree branch was seen blocking Indian River Drive, south of Dixon Boulevard.
Officials said people need to remain sheltered throughout the storm and not to let their guard down.
Downed power lines and trees are causing dangerous road conditions.
Crews will be out to help clear the roads as soon as it’s deemed safe.
6 a.m. update:
Channel 9 reporter Q McCray has been keeping an eye on conditions in areas of Seminole County, including at Sanford’s Lake Monroe.
Early Thursday, he watched as water crested over the lake wall along West Seminole Boulevard near Sanford City Hall.
Before Hurricane Ian hit in late September, McCray noted that water levels in Lake Monroe appeared to be 3 to 4 feet below its retaining wall.
Now, as Tropical Storm Nicole compounds issues brought on by Ian, vegetation from the lake is turning up on walkway around Lake Monroe.
5 a.m. update:
Flagler County officials are asking drivers to avoid using A1A unless “absolutely necessary.”
Officials said the road has been taking a serious beating as Tropical Storm Nicole moves through the state.
Drivers in Florida are being asked to avoid any unnecessary driving as the storm moves through to help crews respond to any hazardous situations.
Strong winds will continue from Brevard to Osceola counties northward Thursday morning as Tropical Storm Nicole moves inland.
Storm surge flooding is ongoing along the coast in Brevard and Volusia counties.
4 a.m. update:
Nicole has now been downgraded to a tropical storm only hours after it made Florida landfall.
3:30 a.m. update:
High wind speeds have been seen across Florida’s east coast after Hurricane Nicole made landfall, the National Weather Service said.
Here are the following areas with peak wind gusts:
- Playalinda Beach 73 mph
- Cape Canaveral Space Force Station 71 mph
- Melbourne at 70 mph
- Indialantic at 70 mph
- Patrick Space Force Station at 67 mph
- Sebastian Inlet at 66 mph
- New Smyrna Beach at 60 mph
- Vero Beach at 58 mph
Read: SEE: Hurricane Nicole knocks down tree, blocks Kissimmee roadway
3 a.m. update:
Meteorologist Tom Terry said Hurricane Nicole has made landfall.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm made landfall south of Vero Beach.
2 a.m. update:
The National Weather Service Melbourne said 60 to 70 mph winds are in Brevard County.
Hurricane Nicole is expected to make landfall soon.
1:43 a.m. update:
Channel 9′s Demie Johnson shows one home that is holding its ground as wind and rain pound Daytona Beach Shores in Volusia County.
Portions of the hurricane-damaged home are in danger of breaking off into the water.
See the video below:
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1 a.m. update:
Hurricane Nicole is likely to make landfall along the east coast of Florida within the next couple of hours.
Walendberger said we should expect strong winds, dangerous storm surge and heavy rain to continue over a large area.
The storm is about 30 miles away from Fort Pierce with maximum sustained winds at 75 mph.
Read this update in Spanish below:
El huracán Nicole se está acercando y se espera que toque tierra en la costa este de Florida en las próximas horas.
La tormenta está a 30 millas de Fort Pierce con vientos de 75 mph.
12 a.m. update:
Meteorologist George Waldenberger said Nicole is now 50 miles from Fort Pierce with over 60 mph wind gusts in Sebastian Inlet.
Read this update in Spanish below:
Los vientos del huracán Nicole son de 66 mph en este momento.
La tormenta está a 55 millas de Fort Pierce
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