A rare November hurricane could hit Florida’s east coast this week as residents try to recover from deadly Hurricane Ian.
Subtropical Storm Nicole is forecast to continue strengthening and is expected to be a Category 1 hurricane when it approaches Florida’s east coast late Wednesday into Thursday morning, the National Hurricane Center said Monday.
Warmer-than-normal ocean waters in the region will allow strengthening as the system develops and could lead to the formation of a November hurricane, CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller said.
The last hurricane to hit the US in November was Hurricane Kate in 1985.
A hurricane watch is now in effect along Florida’s east coast from the Volusia/Brevard county line to Hallandale Beach, the National Hurricane Center said.
The watch stretches from just north of Miami to the Space Coast and includes Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Cape Canaveral and Melbourne.
A storm watch has also been issued for areas of Florida and Georgia, from Altamaha Sound to Hallandale Beach.
Florida officials have warned residents — including some recently hit by the devastating Hurricane Ian — that the new storm could bring heavy rains and damaging winds this week.
“Heavy rainfall, coastal flooding, gale-force winds and high tides will affect eastern Florida and the southeastern US,” CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford said.
Rainfall in the Sunshine State could range between 2 and 4 inches, with isolated amounts possibly exceeding 6 inches, Shackelford said.
Already, the US territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are under a flash flood watch until Monday afternoon, and tropical storm watches are in effect for the northwestern Bahamas.
Areas south of Tampa – some of which are still trying to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Ian in September – could see 2 to 4 inches of rain.
Orlando could get 1 to 2 inches of rain, and areas south of Jacksonville could get hit with 1 to 4 inches.
Ahead of the storm, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged residents Sunday to take precautions.
“I encourage all Floridians to be prepared and make a plan in case a storm impacts Florida,” DeSantis said in a news release.
DeSantis said residents should prepare for an increased risk of coastal flooding, strong winds, rain, currents and beach erosion.
On Tuesday, Election Day, much of the Florida peninsula can expect windy to stormy conditions. Rain chances are expected to increase during the day for central and eastern cities such as Miami north to Daytona Beach and inland to Orlando and Okeechobee.
“Conditions may worsen as early as Tuesday and persist through Thursday night/Friday morning,” the National Weather Service in Miami said.
“Impacts in South Florida may include rip currents, coastal flooding, hazardous surf/sea conditions, flooding rainfall, strong sustained winds and tornadoes.”
DeSantis said officials are coordinating with local emergency management authorities in the state’s 67 counties.
The goal is to “identify potential resource gaps and implement plans that will allow the state to respond quickly and effectively in the face of possible intensification” of the storm system, the statement said.
Hurricane Ian made landfall on September 28 as a powerful Category 4 storm on the west coast of the Florida peninsula, packing winds of nearly 150 mph.
The wild storm killed at least 120 people in Florida, destroyed many homes and flattened small communities. Thousands of people were left without power or water for days.
