Tropical Storm Nicole will begin to make an impact on the Carolinas Thursday night through Friday, bringing heavy rain, high winds and the threat of tornadoes to the Charlotte area, WCNC Charlotte chief meteorologist Brad Panovich said.

In this episode of #WakeUpCLT To Go, meteorologist Chris Mulcahy and forecaster Larry Sprinkle have the latest update on Tropical Storm Nicole for North Carolina and South Carolina. They will break down the timing of the storm for the Charlotte metro and outline the impacts we could see from how much rain Nicole is expected to deliver and gusty winds across the Charlotte area.

Panovich said Nicole, which made landfall in the Bahamas Wednesday, has a straightforward track, with impacts expected over a large area due to the storm’s wind field. The good news is Nicole will weaken as it moves inland toward the Charlotte metro, but the storm will dump heavy rain and bring strong winds with it.

Panovich said the first waves of rain will move into Charlotte Thursday evening. If you’re going to the Panthers game against the Falcons, bring a poncho. Heavy sheets of rain are likely later in the game. Conditions will deteriorate overnight with the worst rain and wind very early Friday.

“The worst weather to me is going to be here on Friday morning around 3 a.m.,” Panovich said. “Because of the track and because of warm air surging from the coast, potentially could see tornadoes in this part of the storm. It’s a non-zero threat. It’s maybe 1-2%, but could be as high as 5% depending on the setup.” #Weather #Forecast

Charlotte North Carolina – History, Culture, and Fun

The area that is now Charlotte North Carolina was first settled in 1755. It was named after Queen Charlotte and was nicknamed the “Queen City.” Charlotte prospered from cotton and textiles and even pioneered interstate banking. Today it is the third largest banking center in the US. The city’s first settlers were Europeans.

Charlotte is home to many great restaurants. You can find everything from Tex-Mex to sushi and Chinese food. You can also find world cuisines in Charlotte, including Middle Eastern cuisine and Italian. Performing arts is also abundant in Charlotte. You can see performances of the Charlotte Symphony, the Charlotte Ballet, and Opera Carolina. You can even enjoy a Broadway show.

Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina. The downtown core is filled with high-rise buildings that stretch out 15 miles in every direction. Informally called “Uptown,” the downtown core is filled with hip and modern hotels and restaurants. Uptown is home to several fine museums and the high-octane NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Charlotte was once a thriving textile and manufacturing center. It has since modernized and diversified its economy, including an emerging tourism industry. It has one of the most vibrant, welcoming downtown districts in the Carolinas.