Storm Surge/Tide in Southern Colleton, South Carolina

Colleton County Emergency Management reported widespread tidal flooding across Edisto Island and Edisto Beach. Numerous roads were impassable and closed due to flooding. Also, significant beach erosion occurred along Edisto Beach, especially near the state park.

Nicole first developed as a Subtropical Storm about 550 miles east of the northwest Bahamas in the morning of Monday, November 7th. Nicole remained a Subtropical Storm for a little over 24 hours, but eventually transitioned to a Tropical Storm late in the morning of Tuesday, November 8th. Nicole steadily strengthened and became a Hurricane in the early evening of Wednesday, November 9th, when it was centered about 100 miles east of West Palm Beach, Florida. Hurricane Nicole made landfall at 3 am on Thursday, November 10th, on North Hutchinson Island which is just south of Vero Beach, Florida. Nicole then moved to the northwest across the Florida peninsula. Nicole eventually weakened to a Tropical Depression as it shifted into southwest Georgia and degenerated as it moved to the north. Despite being a Hurricane at landfall, Nicole did not produce widespread significant impacts across southeast South Carolina. Rainfall amounts ranged from around 1 inch to a maximum amount of just over 3 inches at a CoCoRaHS site in eastern Berkeley County. Strong winds were limited to the immediate coastline, with frequent Tropical Storm force gusts observed at coastal observation sites at the beaches. The biggest impact from Nicole was coastal flooding and storm surge due to persistent and strong northeast winds along the coast, and the lingering effect of the full moon on Tuesday, November 8th.