RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Nicole became a tropical depression over Georgia late Thursday night, but Friday is still a CBS 17 Alert Day across central North Carolina. Severe weather, heavy rain and strong winds are expected as part of the weakening impacts of Tropical Depression Nicole.
Nicole made landfall in Florida as a hurricane early Thursday morning and will move across Georgia Friday morning. As Nicole moves through Georgia and later the NC mountains, a transition from a tropical depression to a non-tropical low will follow.
There remains a slight risk (level 2 of 5 on the severe weather scale) of severe storms Friday into Friday evening over all of central North Carolina. Isolated tornadoes will be possible during that time along with a damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
North Carolina is expected to get waves of heavy rain over the mountains on Friday with 3 to 6 inches of rain possible there. In central North Carolina, rainfall should average an inch with up to two inches possible. It won’t rain all day, rather waves of rain will move through meaning it could rain 3 or 4 different times at your house. This will be some much needed rain as much of our state is in a drought and should not lead to widespread flooding.
Winds over central North Carolina could be in the 10 to 20 mph range with gusts into the 30s on Friday. This will likely not lead to widespread power outages like we had during Ian 6 weeks aga.
Gale warnings continue along our coast and those strong winds along with high astronomical tides, could produce possible coastal flooding along with potential for beach erosion and high surf along the North Carolina mainly in areas from Onslow county southward.
