Hurricane Nicolas track LIVE – Storm smashes Texas after growing to life-threatening 75mph Category 1 cyclone

TROPICAL Storm Nicholas became a Category 1 hurricane on Monday night.

It strengthened as it closed in on the Gulf Coast, threatening to bring heavy rains and life-threatening flash flooding to Texas and Louisiana.

Storm trackers correctly predicted that the storm would make landfall by Monday night as the storm grew stronger as it moved toward the coastline.

The NHC warned of "life-threatening storm surge inundation" along the coast of Texas from Port Aransas to San Luis Pass.

Texas Gov Greg Abbott tweeted on Sunday night that the state had already begun mobilizing resources due to the threats of heavy rains, winds, and potential floods posed by Nicholas.

"Heed warnings from local officials and be sure to avoid high water," he added.

Read our Tropical Storm Nicholas live blog for the latest news and updates…

  • Jocelyn Cook

    FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS

    Flash flood watches are now in effect from Brownsville, Texas, to Lake Charles, Louisiana.

    Between six and 10 inches of rain is forecast for Galveston, Texas, and Lake Charles, Louisiana.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    HOUSTON SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAINFALL MONDAY AND TUESDAY

    The Houston area should expect the heaviest rainfall and flood threat from Tropical Storm Nicholas on Monday and Tuesday, KHOU11 reported.

    The Texas city will experience strong winds as well.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG WINDS HIT TEXAS

    "Bands of heavy rain and strong winds are hammering the Texas coast and parts of Louisiana right now," The Weather Channel reported late Monday.

    There is also potential for major flooding from Tropical Storm Nicholas.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    NICHOLAS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL SOON

    Tropical Storm Nicholas is located about 35 miles south-southwest of Matagorda, Texas, according to The Weather Channel.

    It is expected to make landfall along the Texas coast tonight.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    HOUSTON COULD SEE HEAVY RAINFALL

    Houston could be blasted with 8 to 12 inches of rain, and nearby areas could see as much as 24 inches, according to AccuWeather.

    Parts of the middle and upper Texas coastline are expected to be pounded by up to 16 inches of rainfall.

    Isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches could be seen there through the middle of the week.

    Across the rest of coastal Texas into southwest Louisiana, rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is expected.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    SEE CREEPY VIDEO OF MICHAEL MYERS COSTUMED MAN ON BEACH AHEAD OF TROPICAL STORM

    "Just when you THINK you’ve seen it all, someone walks past you down the Galveston beach dressed like Michael Myers in Halloween ahead of Tropical Storm Nicholas," reporter Mycah Natfield wrote on Twitter.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    SCHOOLS CLOSED IN TEXAS

    Several public school systems in Galveston and in the Houston area shut down for the day on Monday or planned early releases.

    The Houston Independent School District tweeted that campuses and district offices will remain open, but said school officials will "continue to monitor the weather and share important updates on our district’s social media and website."

    Texas A&M University-Kingsville has canceled all classes.

    The school's Corpus Christi campus has switched to remote learning for the day. 

  • Jocelyn Cook

    OTHER STORM SYSTEMS IN THE ATLANTIC

    There could be more storms in the days and weeks ahead, and the National Hurricane Center is currently monitoring three other systems in the Atlantic.

    Two of the systems have the chance of developing into tropical depressions later this week, NHC says.

    The next names in the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season will be Odette and Peter.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    WHAT IS A STORM SURGE WARNING?

    According to the National Hurricane Center, a storm surge warning means "the danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area, generally within 36 hours, in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone."

    Inundation, in this instance, means flooding.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS ALONG COAST OF TEXAS

    "Tropical storm warnings have been issued along the coast of Texas from Baffin Bay to Sabine Pass, as well as some inland counties near the Texas coast, including the Houston metro area," the Weather Channel reported.

    The outlet predicts the storm will move northeast and then east over eastern Texas, then go into Louisiana as it weakens to a tropical depression instead.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    'MAJOR RAINFALL FLOOD THREAT'

    "Tropical Storm Nicholas poses a major rainfall flood threat to parts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi and will also bring strong wind gusts and storm surge," the Weather Channel reported Monday evening.

    The storm is now south of Port O'Connor, Texas, and will likely make landfall along the middle Texas coast late tonight.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    HOW MANY HURRICANE HAS THE US SEEN THIS YEAR?

    So far in 2021, the United States has battled 14 tropical storms and seven hurricanes.

  • Jocelyn Cook

    NICHOLAS IS 14TH NAMED STORM

    Nicholas is the 14th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

    The season is currently at its peak, with five tropical disturbances being monitored across the Atlantic basin.

  • Julia Fields

    SCHOOLS CLOSED

    Schools across Texas closed today due to the storm and will stay closed through tomorrow at least.

  • Julia Fields

    FLASH FLOOD WARNING THROUGH THURSDAY

    A flash flood warning has been issued through Thursday in parts of Louisiana.

  • Julia Fields

    STORMY SKIES

    Texas is seeing stormy skies as Nicholas moves through.

  • Julia Fields

    THE RAIN BEGINS

    Rain has begun falling in Texas.

  • Julia Fields

    FLIGHTS CANCELLED

    Flights to parts of Texas are being cancelled ahead of the storm tonight.

  • Julia Fields

    PREPARE FOR FLOODING

    New Orleans residents are advised to prepare for inland flooding ahead of Nicholas' landfall.

  • Julia Fields

    WEATHER BALLOON LAUNCH

    Corpus Cristi, Texas launched a weather balloon to gather data about the incoming storm.

  • Julia Fields

    CORPUS CRISTI WAVES

    Waves are strengthening in Texas!

  • Julia Fields

    HIGH RISK OF FLOODING IN TEXAS

    There is a high risk of flooding in Houston that could become dangerous.

  • Julia Fields

    WAVES INTENSIFYING

    Waves in Texas are already growing stronger as Nicholas prepares to touchdown.

  • Julia Fields

    LIFE-THREATENING FLOODING POSSIBLE

    The National Hurricane Center warns of life threatening flooding conditions in parts of Texas.

  • Julia Fields

    WHAT IS A STORM SURGE WARNING?

    According to the National Hurricane Center, a storm surge warning means "the danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area, generally within 36 hours, in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone."

    Inundation simply means flooding.

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