Nicole made landfall in Florida as a category 1 hurricane but quickly weakened.
The National Hurricane Center said it was the first hurricane to make landfall in the US this late in the season in 40 years.
Nicole has weakened to a tropical storm with 70 mph winds.
The storm is forecast to lose more steam as it moves across Florida into Georgia on Thursday, then across the Carolinas Friday. NHC forecasters say it will likely be a post-tropical cyclone by Friday afternoon.
Still, officials say eastern North Carolina and other parts of the southeastern U.S. could see 2 to 4 inches of rain, flash and urban flooding, high winds and a few isolated tornadoes.
Swells generated by the storm — which can cause life-threatening surf and rip conditions — will likely affect the ENC coast over the next few days.
