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Tropical Storm Nicole may become hurricane when it reaches Florida

Posted 11/9/22

Tropical Storm Nicole is expected to reach hurricane strength before reaching Florida’s east coast later today or early on Thursday …

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Tropical Storm Nicole may become hurricane when it reaches Florida

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Tropical Storm Nicole is expected to reach hurricane strength before reaching Florida’s east coast later today or early on Thursday according to the National Hurricane Center.

Early Wednesday morning, forecasters said Nicole is heading towards the northwest Bahamas with 70 mph winds.

The center of the storm is expected to move across northern and central Florida and southern Georgia by Thursday night threatening most of Florida and parts of southeastern states.

Some locations could see up to eight inches of water, according to the National Hurricane Center, with water levels reaching several feet above normal in parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

The three states are under storm watches or warnings and Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency on Monday when Nicole was still a subtropical  storm.

“While this storm does not, at this time, appear that it will become much stronger, I urge all Floridians to be prepared and to listen to announcements from local emergency management officials,” DeSantis said Monday. “We will continue to monitor the trajectory and strength of this storm as it moves towards Florida.”

Hendry County Emergency Management has helpful information on shelters, stocking emergency supplies and preparing for storms and evacuation here: https://www.hendryfla.net/emergency_management.php

Counties under a State of Emergency are:

Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, and Volusia.

No-Cost and Low-Cost Preparedness Measures for Floridians

  • Make a Plan– Every household should have a disaster plan specific to the needs of their household, including consideration of children, pets and seniors. Every individual in the household should assist in developing the emergency plan and understand the plan. Visit org/Family-Plan for more information.
  • Know Your Zone, Know Your Home –It’s important for residents to know if they live in an evacuation zone, a low-lying, flood-prone area, a mobile home or an unsafe structure during hurricane season. It is also very important for residents to know their home and its ability to withstand strong winds and heavy rain. This information will help residents better understand orders from local officials during a storm. Visit org/Know for more information.
  • Have Multiple Ways to Receive Weather Alerts – Every household should have multiple ways to receive weather alerts and follow all directions from local officials. Residents are encouraged to have a battery-operated or hand-crank weather radio to ensure they can continue to receive alerts from the National Weather Service in the event of power outages or damaged cell towers.
  • Keep Gas Tanks Half Full– Residents should keep their vehicle’s gas tanks at least half full during hurricane season to ensure they have enough fuel to evacuate as soon as possible without worrying about long lines at gas stations and to avoid gas shortages prior to a storm. For Floridians with electric vehicles, it’s recommended that the battery be maintained between 50% – 80% capacity at all times, depending on the type of vehicle and what the vehicle’s manual recommends. Visit org/HalfwayFull for more information.

Visit FloridaDisaster.org/Info to find information on shelters, road closures, evacuation routes and more.

Tropical Storm Nicole, National Weather Center, Hendry County Emergency Management

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