Tropical Storm Nicole: Moving across west central Florida
MIAMI - Nicole is moving over west central Florida after making landfall early Thursday morning along the state's east coast.
The storm came ashore as a hurricane around 3 a.m. just south of Vero Beach with 75 mph winds.
As of 10 a.m., Tropical Storm Nicole's winds had weakened to 50 mph and it was about 30 miles northeast of Tampa, moving west-northwest at 16 mph.
Tropical storm force winds extended 345 miles from the center, especially to the northeast.
The storm's wind whipped waves collapsed part of Anglin's fishing pier in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea .
Pictures: Nicole's path and warnings
On the forecast track, the center of Nicole will continue to move across west central Florida on Thursday morning and and emerge over the far northeastern Gulf of Mexico in the afternoon. The center should then move across the state's Panhandle and Georgia Thursday night and then move through the southeastern US on Friday.
Little change in strength is expected while Nicole is over the Gulf of Mexico in the afternoon and evening. Nicole is expected to weaken to a depression while over Georgia.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Sebastian Inlet to South Santee River South Carolina
* Englewood to Indian Pass
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
* Sebastian Inlet to Altamaha Sound, Georgia
* Mouth of the St. Johns River to Georgetown, Florida
* Anclote River to Ochlockonee River
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for...
* Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass
* Altamaha Sound, Georgia to South Santee River, South Carolina
Since record-keeping began in 1853, Florida has had only two hurricanes make landfall in November, said Maria Torres, a spokesperson for the Hurricane Center. The first was the Yankee Hurricane in 1935, and the second was Hurricane Kate, which struck Florida's Panhandle as a Category 2 storm in 1985.
The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and ends November 30.
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