1730 Hours, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010: Sussex County will see deteriorating weather conditions in the hours ahead as a storm system fueled by the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole makes it way up the East Coast, bringing with it heavy rains and gusty winds along its path.

National Weather Service forecasters expect the storm to still bring to Sussex County as much as 2 to 4 inches of rain tonight into Friday morning. The storm is already whipping the region with stiff winds of 25 mph to 30 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph in some areas.

So far, Sussex County has escaped the intensity of the storm, suffering only a handful of downed trees and wires. Areas to the west of Delaware, however, have measured as much as 7 to 9 inches of rain today, and much of that moisture is slowly shifting north and east.

“It’s been quieter than we had expected it to be today,” Sussex County Emergency Operations Center Director Joseph L. Thomas said. “But we’re not out of the woods yet. The heaviest weather looks like it will now come tonight and in the overnight hours, and darkness always complicates the situation because it’s difficult to see what’s happening. The public needs to keep up their guard.”

A flood warning and coastal flood watch are in effect for Sussex County through Friday morning. Heavy rains could lead to ponding on roads and flooding of low-lying areas. Minor tidal flooding is possible in the Delaware Bay, Nanticoke River and along the Atlantic oceanfront. Meantime, a tornado watch is in effect through early Thursday evening as strong southerly winds race across the region.

With this storm, flooded roads, downed trees and power outages are a possibility. Motorists should use caution if traveling this evening or during the overnight hours. Never drive through flooded roadways and never approach downed power lines.

Residents should immediately report flooded roadways and downed power lines to the proper authorities. If there is an emergency, please dial 911. For nonemergency calls, the EOC can be reached at (302) 855-7801.

For a list of road closures, visit the Delaware Department of Transportation Web site at www.deldot.gov. To view a map of power outages in Sussex County, visit Delmarva Power’s Web site at www.delmarva.com and the Delaware Electric Cooperative’s Web site at www.delaware.coop.

Officials at the Sussex County EOC continue to monitor the storm’s progress, and are in regular contact with National Weather Service forecasters and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.

The Sussex County EOC encourages residents and visitors to monitor the weather, as forecasts can change. For updates, stay tuned to local television and radio stations, the Sussex County EOC Web site at www.sussexcountyde.gov/emergency-preparedness, and the County’s Twitter feed at twitter.com/sussexde_govt. The public should also monitor the National Weather Service, at https://www.weather.gov/phi/, for the latest forecast.

For more information, please contact the Sussex County EOC at (302) 855-7801.

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Media calls should be directed to EOC spokeswoman Debra Jones at (302) 855-7801 or Sussex County Chief of Public Information Chip Guy at (302) 854-5000.