Nicole wind speeds could be 50-60 mph in Sebastian and Vero Beach

If Tropical Storm Nicole stays on its current path and makes landfall between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, we could see wind speeds of approximately 50-60 mph early Thursday morning as it moves into Florida.

Sebastian City Manager Paul Carlisle is asking residents to take time to pick up any loose debris in their yards that high winds could pick up. Sebastian and Vero Beach are currently under a hurricane watch. The time to prepare is now.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday declared a state of emergency for 34 counties, including Brevard and Indian River Counties. The City of Sebastian could also issue a state of emergency this evening.

Nicole could become a Category 1 hurricane before landfall, but please remember the tracking could change, and we’ll keep you informed if it happens.

“The track guidance is in good agreement during the first few days of the forecast period, and the confidence in this portion of the track forecast is relatively high,” the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in a statement.

Also, we could see 2-4 inches of rain, and we have a higher-than-normal high tide due to the moon cycle, worsening coastal flooding. Storm surge potential is 3 to 5 feet. 

Here are the predicted wind speeds for Sebastian and Vero Beach:

• Tuesday: 25-35 mph 
• Wednesday: 40-50 mph
• Thursday: 50-60 mph
• Friday: 25-35 mph

Again, these wind speeds could change depending on Nicole’s track. We will begin to feel some of the tropical winds Tuesday night. 

At 4:00 p.m., Nicole was located 430 miles from the northwestern Bahamas, moving at 9 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. 

“Most of the dynamical models indicate that Nicole will be able to develop a smaller inner core and transition into a tropical cyclone in 24 to 36 hours, and once that occurs, a faster rate of intensification is anticipated,” NHC said.

Due to its large size, Nicole will likely cause significant wind, storm surge, and rainfall in Florida. 

Sebastian Daily will continue to update you when more information is available. Our coverage will continue through Friday, and our next newscast will be Tuesday morning.