Tropical Storm Nicole Expected as Category 1 Hurricane By Landfall
(CNN) – Nicole has become a tropical storm – with scattered showers impacting parts of Florida this midterm Election Day – and is expected to strengthen more before slamming the state's east coast early Thursday as the first hurricane to strike the United States in November in nearly 40 years.New hurricane warnings are in effect Tuesday for parts of Florida ahead of Nicole's expected landfall early Thursday morning north of West Palm Beach as a Category 1 hurricane with torrential rain and damaging winds, as many across the state continue to endure the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.“#Nicole is a formidable storm that will have major impacts all along the southeastern U.S.
coastline, not only near the center. Coastal flooding, large waves and rip currents will extend from the tip of FL to NC,” the National Weather Service tweeted.
Churning Tuesday 350 miles east-northeast of the northwestern Bahamas, Nicole continues to strengthen and get better organized, then starting Wednesday is due to produce heavy rain that could lead to dangerous storm surge and high winds, said Jamie Rhome, the acting director of the National Hurricane Center.It is projected to be a strong tropical storm or a Category 1 hurricane by the time it reaches Florida by Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, Rhome said Monday in a video briefing posted online.
Up to seven inches of rain and storm surge that could rise up to five feet along the coast, combined with high winds, are mainly forecast for Wednesday evening and Thursday.“The storm surge will be accompanied by large and damaging waves.
