The NWS warned Monday that Nicole could be as strong as a hurricane when it approaches Florida’s east coast later this week. The storm could affect election week in the Sunshine State, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is running against Democratic challenger Charlie Crist and Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., is trying to unseat Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. . DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 34 counties. The latest piece that now brings Nicole ashore Wednesday night as a Cat 1 hurricane near Jupiter, FL is shown in an ABC Weather graphic released at 1:00 p.m., November 7, 2022. ABC News “While at this time this storm does not appear to be getting much stronger, I urge all Floridians to be prepared,” he said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor the track and strength of this storm as it moves toward Florida.” Florida Power & Light is urging customers to prepare for power outages and has activated its emergency response plan ahead of Nicole’s potential impact on the state this week. “[Hurricane] “Ian saturated soil and weakened trees in many parts of the state, so Nicole could cause trees to topple and blow other vegetation and debris onto overhead power lines and equipment, which could cause outages,” said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL; he said in a statement. Nicole formed in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean on Monday, becoming the 14th named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which ends this month. The center of Nicole will approach the northwestern Bahamas on Tuesday, move near or over those islands on Wednesday and then approach eastern Florida by Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service. Subtropical Storm Nicole could affect Florida later this week. NOAA Nicole currently has maximum sustained winds of about 45 mph, with higher gusts. Winds of 40 mph or greater extend outward as much as 275 miles to the east of the storm’s center. “Gradual strengthening is forecast over the next several days, and Nicole could be near or at hurricane strength by Wednesday or Wednesday night as it moves near the northwestern Bahamas,” the National Weather Service said in a public advisory issued Monday morning. A tropical storm watch is now in effect for the northwestern Bahamas. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the northwestern Bahamas through Tuesday night or early Wednesday. A storm surge could raise water levels as much as 3 to 5 feet above normal tide levels along the coast in areas with onshore winds, according to the National Weather Service. Hurricane Watches remain in effect for the Bahamas and Cape Canaveral to West Palm Beach. Tropical Storm Watches in Miami and Daytona to Southeast Ga. appear in an ABC Weather graphic released at 13:00, 7 November 2022. ABC News Nicole is expected to produce between 2 and 4 inches of rain in the northwestern Bahamas Tuesday through Thursday, with a maximum of 6 inches of localized rain. The storm is expected to bring “heavy rainfall” to parts of Florida and the southeastern United States through mid to late week, the National Weather Service said. Between 4 and 7 inches of rain is possible along the East Coast from Florida to the Carolinas. Tropical storm-force winds of 60 to 70 mph are also forecast, depending on how much Nicole strengthens. The storm could lead to beach erosion, rough surf and rip currents. Tropical weather systems have the potential to quickly develop into hurricanes, while subtropical ones do not. A subtropical storm usually produces more rain and strong thunderstorms. If a subtropical storm intensifies enough to have hurricane force winds, then it has become fully tropical. There is no subtropical hurricane, according to the National Weather Service.
