Tropical Storm Nicole In NJ: Rain, Strong Winds, Flooding Possible

NEW JERSEY — Tropical Storm Nicole, which continued nearing Florida on Wednesday, will impact New Jersey's weather during the coming days, according to weather officials. While the storm will weaken by the time it reaches the mid-Atlantic, forecasters anticipate plenty of rain, strong winds and potential floods pestering the Garden State throughout Friday.

New Jersey has a mild forecast through Thursday. But the precipitation, high gusts and the potential for severe thunderstorms could dampen any outdoor Veterans Day plans.

"The exact track of Nicole as it is pulled northward will determine where the worst of the impacts will be in the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Walker.

Rain may fall Friday throughout the day and night, according to the National Weather Service. The agency expects the strongest winds Friday afternoon and evening.

Here's the outlook from the National Weather Service's Mount Holly office, which covers most of New Jersey:

Nicole will unleash damaging winds as early as Wednesday afternoon as it nears landfall in Florida, according to AccuWeather. Tropical-storm-force gusts ranging between 40-60 mph will extend over 500,000 miles, from west of Bermuda to the eastern Gulf of Mexico, with 60-80 mph gusts near and just north of Nicole's eye. Nicole will arrive just weeks after Hurricane Ian battered the region.

By the time Nicole reaches the mid-Atlantic, the storm will transition into a tropical depression or tropical wind and rainstorm, AccuWeather says. New Jersey may endure flooding rains Friday night though, according to the website's live updates on Nicole.

But the flooding shouldn't be extensive, according to the National Weather Service's Mount Holly office.

"This should not cause widespread flooding issues," the office's forecast discussion said Wednesday morning. "However, if higher rain rates with embedded thunderstorms occur especially over urban areas, then we could see localized flooding."

Here's the National Weather Service's latest North Jersey forecast:

• Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 55. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
• Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Calm wind.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. Calm wind becoming southwest around 6 mph in the morning.
• Thursday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Light south wind.
• Friday: Rain likely, mainly after 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 69. Light southeast wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Friday night: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Steady temperature around 67. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between three-quarters and one inch possible.
• Saturday: Rain likely, mainly before 10 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.
• Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.
• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 50.

Here's the agency's latest South Jersey forecast:

• Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 59. East wind around 5 mph.
• Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Calm wind.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
• Thursday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
• Friday: Rain, with thunderstorms also possible after 4 p.m. High near 71. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch possible.
• Friday night: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm before 4 a.m., then rain likely. Low around 58. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch possible.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.
• Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 49.