JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Update: Nicole hit Bermuda head on around 11 a.m. BST and official winds are still being compiled, but they appear to have peaked around 90 mph with gusts well above 110 mph. These are estimates as power is out to much of the island.
We will have more soon!
Recommended Videos
Nicole is a beast!
Heading quickly for Bermuda where hurricane warnings are in effect. Nicole's greatest impact will be around 11 am BST. You can follow Nicole on Bermuda radar on this link.
Folks there are accustom to hurricanes and Nicole will be the seventh hurricane to impact the very tiny island (only six miles long) in the past decade. Nicole may also be the strongest since Gonzolo (2014) which brought wind gusts to 130 mph.
As of 8 a.m. Thursday, Nicole has maximum sustained winds to 130 mph and gusts to 150 mph. Nicole is also expected to pass just west of Bermuda. This means the worst or "eye wall" may not hit the island, but being on the right hand side of her track, which is the strong side, they will be hammered with winds to 100 mph.
For perspective, Matthew's weaker west side passed east of Jacksonville by about 50 miles.
Nicole is a large storm with clouds stretching out over 1200 miles. Hurricane force winds extending out 65 miles from the center. Tropical storm force winds reach out 175 miles.