Tropical Storm Nicole was Tropical Depression 16 until 11 a.m. EDT, Sept. 29 and NASA data helped confirm her new designation. Satellite data from NASA showed frigid thunderstorm cloud top temperatures, heavy rainfall, and extensive cloud cover as Nicole strengthened.

At 11 a.m. EDT, Tropical Depression 16 strengthened into Tropical Storm Nicole. Nicole’s maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph. Satellite data is observed the strongest winds in Nicole are occurring in the south and southeastern quadrants of the storm. It was centered near Cuba, about 120 miles east-southeast of Havana, Cuba or 260 miles southwest of Nassau, the Bahamas near 22.6 North and 80.6 West. Nicole was moving northeast near 9 mph. It had a minimum central pressure of 996 millibars.

The National Hurricane Center now expects Nicole to stay just east of Florida, so all of the watches and warnings for Florida have been dropped. On the forecast track the center of Nicole will move over the florida straits during the afternoon today (Sept. 29) and move near or over the northwestern Bahamas tonight. Tropical Storm warnings that are in effect include the Cayman Islands, Provinces of Cuba from Matanzas eastward to Ciego de Avila and the northwestern and central Bahamas.

On Sunday, Sept. 26, Tropical Storm Matthew had weakened to a remnant low while continuing to dump heavy amounts of rain over eastern Mexico and Central America.

At 11 a.m. EDT, Sept. 26, Matthew’s center of circulation was spinning down with maximum sustained winds near 25 mph. It was about 40 miles south of Villahermosa, Mexico near 17.4 North and 92.9 West. It was still moving west at about 9 mph and slowed to the point of being almost stationary later in the day. Matthew’s minimum central pressure was 1003 millibars.

At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. in the Laboratory for Atmospheres, a 72 hour rain map was created on the morning of Sept. 27. That rain map provided estimates of rainfall from Tropical Storm Matthew since Friday morning, Sept. 24 at 9:00 a.m. EDT. Since that time, much of Central America and Mexico received between 3 (76 millimeters) and 7 inches (177 mm) of rainfall.