Caribbean Storm "Nicole" Moves North

The remains of Tropical Storm Nicole, as it moved from the Carolinas to New England on Friday, battered the U.S. Atlantic Coast like a hurricane.

Nicole was a minimal tropical storm for just six hours on Wednesday, but the broad, ragged system poured heavy rain on Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, south Florida and the Bahamas before continuing its northern path.

On Thursday, the death toll from the storm rose to 12 in Jamaica and four in the United States. The storm's remnants were moving up the U.S. East Coast and brought gusting winds, pounding surf and coastal flooding to the region.

Flood watches and high wind warnings remained in effect for much of the U.S. Northeast through Friday morning. Four people died in eastern North Carolina after their vehicle hydroplaned on a highway and went into a canal, according to the Washington County Sheriff's department.

In mountainous Jamaica, three days of torrential rain from the system caused flash flooding that killed a dozen people. Eight more were missing and feared dead.

Schools were closed for a second day on Thursday and villages across the Caribbean island reported serious damage to roads, houses, bridges, crops and livestock. Nicole was the 14th named storm of the six-month Atlantic-Caribbean hurricane season, which runs through November 30.