Nicholas, now a tropical depression, still douses Gulf Coast

By JUAN A. LOZANO
Associated Press

SURFSIDE BEACH, Texas (AP) — Tropical Storm Nicholas has weakened to a tropical depression as it slowed to a crawl over southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana as its heavy rains continued to drench the area, maintaining a flood threat. The National Hurricane Center downgraded Nicholas as night approached Tuesday, the same day it blew ashore as a Category 1 hurricane on the eastern part of the Matagorda Peninsula of Texas. It’s drenching storm-battered Louisiana and bringing the potential for life-threatening flash floods across the Deep South after dumping more than a foot of rain along the same area swamped by Hurricane Harvey in 2017.