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Hurricane Nicholas made landfall in Texas in the early morning hours on Tuesday (September 14) after being upgraded from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane.
The storm dumped 14 inches of rain in Galveston and battered the state’s southeastern coast with 75 mph winds. Power lines were downed in the coastal area, and more than 300,000 people are reportedly without electricity.
Officials with the National Hurricane Center in Miami clocked the storm at 30 miles southwest of Houston and with 70 mph gusts as early as 4 a.m.
The Houston area and other parts of Texas are expected to get additional rainfall throughout the week as the storm moves closer to Louisiana. Street closures have been reported and officials are readying rescue teams for individuals in need.
Local officials also cautioned residents as a four foot storm surge is expected to rush the area, and 50 mph wind gusts were recorded at a Houston airport. An additional six to 12 inches of rain are expected to drop in Texas as Hurricane Nicholas creeps along the Gulf Coast, just weeks after Hurricane Ida devastated Louisiana.
Based on its trajectory now, Nicholas is headed right to Louisiana and will impact parts of Mississippi too. It’s the 14th named storm this hurricane season.
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