Nearly 5 million people are under flash flood watches as Nicholas hovers over the Gulf region
Nearly 5 million people are under flash flood watches as
Nicholas hovers over the Gulf region
Millions are under flash
flood watches Thursday as Post-Tropical Cyclone Nicholas lingers over the
central Gulf Coast, threatening to dump even more rain in the upcoming days.
Nicholas initially made
landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in southern Texas early Tuesday morning, packing 75 mph winds with higher gusts.
The storm also soaked parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida
Panhandle as it weakened to a tropical depression.
Located near Marsh Island
along the central Louisiana coast and with winds of 25 mph, Nicholas became a
post-tropical cyclone Thursday morning, the National Weather Service Weather
Prediction Center said.
But even after its
downgrade, it still brings the possible risk of flash flooding to roughly five
million people in parts of southeast Louisiana, southern Mississippi and
Alabama as well as the Florida Panhandle.
An additional 2 to 4
inches of rain may fall in the region through Friday, with some areas at risk
of seeing 12 inches, the Weather Prediction Center said. Minor but widespread river flooding is expected, and
scattered moderate river flooding is possible.
Flash flood watches are in
effect when weather conditions are conducive to flash flooding, but it doesn't
necessarily mean that flash flooding will occur, according to NWS.
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