Now Hurricane Nicole, Long Island braces for its remnants
Tropical Storm Nicole lashed beaches in Hollywood, Fla. Wednesday afternoon, but by the evening it had been upgraded to a hurricane. Credit: AP/Mike Stocker
Long Island could face a deluge of rain Friday night from what forecasters updated Wednesday night to Hurricane Nicole, and even a slight chance of a tornado, but the weakened storm should pass through by late Saturday.
While the Florida Peninsula braced for a hurricane, the storm is expected to dissipate over the Carolinas and Virginia before it reaches New York.
The storm could bring one to two inches of rain across Long Island with strong winds and gusts that could top 40 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
At 6 p.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center upgraded Nicole to a hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph as it churned 108 miles east of West Palm Beach, Fla.
The brunt of the storm is expected overnight Friday on Long Island, with heavy winds that could down tree branches and lead to potential power outages. A slight chance for a brief tornado warning is also possible for the region, according to the weather service.
Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin said the town is taking precautions before the storm, including sending tree trimming crews throughout the town and clearing storm drains as well as gutters of leaves and debris.
“The weather is going to be treacherous this weekend,” Clavin said. “We are going to be ready for this storm. We are reminding residents to be prepared and try not to be on the roads Friday night.”
The town is working with utilities including PSEG Long Island and National Grid to avoid outages, Clavin said.
The weather service predicted the possibility of more than an inch of rain over six hours Friday night into early Saturday morning.
The forecast calls for breaking surf above 10 feet along the South Shore coastline late Friday night, with possible beach flooding and coastal erosion during high tide Saturday morning. Widespread street flooding near homes and businesses was not expected, according to the weather service.
The storm could also affect weekend plans, including football games and the New York State Public High School Field Hockey Championships planned Saturday in Centereach.
The field hockey tournament is scheduled to continue Saturday and play will continue through the rain as long as there are no major weather alerts such as lightning or tornado warnings, said Chris Watson, spokesman for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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