Hurricane Nicholas was a slow-moving and erratic tropical cyclone that made landfall in the U.S. state of Texas in mid-September 2021.

The system developed into a tropical storm on September 12, with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) naming the cyclone Nicholas.

Some of the affected areas were still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Ida, which impacted the Gulf Coast of the United States a few weeks prior.

[2] By the next day, the wave began to interact with a surface trough over the southern Gulf of Mexico, producing widespread but disorganized showers and thunderstorms across the region.

[3] Showers and thunderstorms associated with this system increased and become better organized on September 12, and its top sustained winds reached 40 mph (65 km/h) (tropical storm-force), as confirmed by an Air Force hurricane-hunter flight that morning.

[6] After satellite imagery from radar and aircraft, it was found that the center had re-formed 150 nautical miles more north than expected and the storm had gained speed.

[7] The storm entered the southern part of a large area of deep convection, as signs of an eyewall structure forming were beginning to become prominent.

[11] Shortly thereafter, at 05:30 UTC, Nicholas made landfall about 10 mi (16 km) west-southwest of Sargent Beach, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (121 km/h).

[13] Nicholas was downgraded to tropical depression status at 00:00 UTC on September 15,[14] as it moved slowly into southern Louisiana, where residents were still recovering in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.

[15] At the time, the system consisted of a large swirl of low- to mid-level clouds and showers, with a few patches of deep convection well removed from the center, according to the NHC.

[17][18] Nicholas's remnant low later moved further inland, stalling over northern Louisiana,[19][20][21] before its low-level circulation center became ill-defined on September 18.

[11] Flood watches were also issued in southern and central Louisiana when Nicholas slowed its forward speed to 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h).

[33] Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, declared a state of emergency and noted that areas affected by Hurricane Ida would possibly feel the effects of the tropical storm.

[38] The American Red Cross in the Texas Gulf Coast area prepared as Nicholas moved closer to landfall.

[49] The remnants of Nicholas contributed to two reported direct deaths that occurred in Alabama due to freshwater flooding.

[1] In Florida, two indirect deaths occurred due to rip currents from the storm's remnants in Panama City Beach where two males were swept out to sea.