Nicole’s Remnants Bring Threat of Heavy Rain, Possible Tornadoes, Flooding to NYC Area

After making landfall in Florida early Thursday as a Category 1 hurricane, the third hurricane this November in the Atlantic Basin, the weakened remnants of Nicole will be arriving in the New York area come Friday — but the storm’s impacts may be anything but weak.

An approaching front only complicates matters. The remnants of Nicole, which was downgraded to a tropical depression late Thursday, will combine with that front on Friday, bringing showers to the New York City area by midday before the rain — and winds — intensify. Expect at-times torrential downpours late Friday into Saturday morning across the tri-state.

Wind gusts could top 50 mph in spots, with the worst weather expected to hit overnight Friday into Saturday. The biggest concerns for the tri-state are the possibility of isolated severe storms with damaging winds — even isolated tornadoes can’t be ruled out.

Storm Team 4

Flash flooding is a concern for most of the tri-state, but especially well north and west of New York City. Minor coastal flooding and erosion are also possible.

At this point, a widescale 1 to 2 inches of rain is expected to accumulate through Saturday, though some spots could see up to 3 inches, based on the latest forecasts.

The city activated its flash flood emergency plan ahead of the storm’s arrival, requiring various agencies to fan out across the five boroughs to inspect (and clean, if necessary) catch basins at hundreds of flood-prone locations. Some areas in New Jersey were seen clearing out similar basins Thursday in anticipation of the storm.

This work is already underway — and all New Yorkers are encouraged to take the same simple debris-clearing step to help prevent flooding. You can also call 311 if you want the city to deal with it for you.

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Nicole Eyes Tri-State: What to Expect

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Expected Rainfall Totals

Storm Team 4

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Once Nicole — and that unrelated front — pass through the tri-state area, colder air dives in and highs will struggle to reach 50 degrees from Sunday through next week. It is November, after all, so get those winter coats ready (if they’re not already).

The storm was expected to dump up to 8 inches of rain on parts of the Florida peninsula as it walloped the Ian-ravaged state with dangerous waves and storm surge, along with intense rain and wind, according to the National Hurricane Center. NHC downgraded Nicole to a tropical storm early Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. Most sustained winds had fallen even further by Thursday night.

The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and ends on Nov. 30.

Track any approaching storms using our interactive radar below.