Nicole hit the Florida coast Wednesday night as a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 km/h.
The National Hurricane Center says Nicole made landfall near North Hutchinson Island, just south of Vero Beach.
At 5:00 a.m. TA, Nicole was classified as a tropical storm and had sustained winds of 110 km/h. Now that Nicole is above the earth, the system will slowly lose its strength.
As the system loses strength, the remnants of Nicole will be directed towards the Maritimes thanks to a cold front. The cold front is moving out of Quebec and another depression is coming in from the west.
Without Nicole, it would be a typical fall storm. What is different is that this fall storm will be accompanied by tropical humidity, which will increase precipitation totals and generate stronger winds.
From Friday evening to Saturday morning, the rain will intensify, with heavier amounts expected along the Fundy coast and in New Brunswick.
Winds will blow from the southwest gusting to 60 km/h with higher gusts possible along the Atlantic coast and the Fundy coast of New Brunswick.
On Saturday afternoon, the intensity of the rain will shift eastward and the rain will begin to taper off from west to east.
Cold air producing snow in Quebec and the Gaspé Peninsula will move into northern New Brunswick from Saturday evening through Sunday. By then, the humidity will be in the east and the potential for snowfall will be limited.
The timing of the front may change, but New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are expected to experience the highest amounts of rain, with pockets receiving 50 to 80 millimeters. During this time, the Nova Scotia coast will see the strongest winds.
