Nicholas made landfall on the Texas Gulf Shore early Tuesday morning as a Category 1 hurricane, and the National Hurricane Center says parts of the region could see "significant" rainfall in the coming days.
Nicholas made landfall at 12:30 a.m. local time about 10 miles southwest of Sargent Beach, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. In the hours since landfall, Nicholas has since been downgraded to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.
The system has already dumped heavy rain on the Texas Gulf Coast, and the NHC warns that the region could be in for more in the coming days. The storm is expected to hug the coastline and move eastward, dumping as much as 10 to 15 inches of rain between Houston and New Orleans.
The NHC says the heavy rainfall could potentially result in "life-threatening flash and urban flooding" across eastern coastal Texas and Louisiana.
Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday issued a disaster declaration in 17 counties in Texas for the next three days in advance of Nicholas, a move that will expedite state and federal funding for rescue and relief efforts.
As Nicholas moves eastward into Louisiana, the region will bear down for yet another major storm. The state saw a major hurricane in Ida just weeks ago, a storm that devastated the state's power grid. Some of those who evacuated the state ahead of Ida are yet to return to their homes.
