How much rain will Hurricane Nicole bring to Pennsylvania and how to prepare
Hurricane Nicole made landfall on Thursday and its remnants are expected to hit Centre County early Friday morning.
The storm will bring rain and possible flooding, Paul Walker, senior meteorologist at Accuweather said. Walker said anywhere from 1 3/4 to 2 1/5 inches of rain will hit Centre County, starting at about 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. Friday morning.
“The heaviest will probably be a couple of bursts,” Walker said. “Probably not that heavy but pretty off-and-on rain through tomorrow night.”
Other regions of the state are also preparing for what’s now Tropical Storm Nicole, with Eastern Pennsylvania preparing for high winds and rain. Western Pennsylvania is also expected to see anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches of rain, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.
Walker said the biggest concern is flooding, especially if leaves are clogging gutters or storm drains.
“The biggest thing is the flooding caused in low-lying and poor drainage areas,” Walker said. “This time of year you have a lot of leaves off the trees, leaves on the ground and they block the storm drains. That can lead to street flooding.”
Walker said the storm will have passed by Saturday but could bring temperatures in the 40s on Saturday that drop to the 30s on Sunday. Snow flurries could be seen on Sunday, he said.
Penn State announces parking changes due to weather
In anticipation of the weather, Penn State announced updates to its parking for the No. 14 Nittany Lions’ matchup with Maryland on Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium.
Overnight RV lots are set to close on Friday at noon until 8 a.m. on Saturday, Penn State Athletics announced Thursday.
Grass options will continue to be open for Saturday’s game with Penn State allowing parking at Innovation Park. The athletic department and university will provide updates and monitor the conditions of the lot.
Fans will be allowed to park at Grange Fair Park on Friday evening and won’t be charged if they present their ORV permit.
ORV permit holders are allowed to stay at Grange Fair on Saturday night with shuttle service to and from Grange Fair to Beaver Stadium. Drop off will be at Pegula Ice Arena for the game, free of charge.
Fans are encouraged to use their Football Game Day Parking pass at Innovation Park. From there, they will take a shuttle from Beaver Stadium and will be dropped off at the North Transit Center. Shuttles will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and are set to continue service until two hours after the game. Tailgating will be permitted in the Innovation Park parking lots.
Parking will not be available for purchase in Lot 36 for the day of the game. Fans who buy game day parking will be allowed to park in East or Eisenhower parking decks with access encouraged through the West zone. No tailgating is permitted in the parking decks on campus.
A towing service will be provided by Penn State Athletics for vehicles stuck in the mud in the grass parking lot on game day.
The weather also pushed up two District 6 playoff games, with the State College-Altoona game and Penns Valley-Bald Eagle Area matchups now taking place on Thursday.
How to prepare for heavy rain
Although Pennsylvania won’t see rain or winds as heavy as states down south, street or minor flooding is still possible. To prepare for the storm and help decrease your chances of damage from flooding, follow these tips from the Washington Post.
- Clear leaves and debris from gutters
- Direct downspouts away from the house
- Trim any loose or dead branches
- Bring inside potted plants and secure outdoor furniture
- Take pictures of any valuables stored in areas susceptible to flooding, like basements
Reporter Kyle J. Andrews contributed to this report.
This story was originally published November 10, 2022 at 12:26 PM.