Subtropical Storm Nicole to impact Florida and the Bahamas

Subtropical Storm Nicole is going to have an impact on Florida and the Bahamas.

The storm could hit the eastern coast of Florida on Wednesday night as a category one hurricane.

Nicole is currently located 615 km east-northeast of the northwestern Bahamas and is moving west-northwest.

On Wednesday hurricane conditions are expected in the northwestern Bahamas. Hurricane conditions are possible along the east coast of Florida by Wednesday night with tropical storm conditions expected by tonight or early Wednesday.

Nicole will bring very heavy rain to northwest sections of the Bahamas into the eastern, central and northern portions of the Florida Peninsula through Friday. In these areas, rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches are expected with locally higher amounts.

The storm will move up the Eastern Seaboard late Thursday into Friday bringing rain to these states too.

Storm surge will also be a concern with heights of 3 to 5 feet from North Palm Beach to Altamaha Sound including the St. Johns River to the Fuller Warren Bridge. Storm surge of 2 to 4 feet is possible from the St. Johns River south of the Fuller Warren Bridge to Georgetown and from Hallandale Beach to North Palm Beach.

Storm surge could raise water levels by as much as 4 to 6 feet above normal tide levels.

Large swells generated by Nicole will affect the northwestern Bahamas, the east coast of Florida, and much of the southeastern United States coast during the next several days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Hurricane season ends on November 30. So far this year there have been 16 total depressions. Of those seven have been hurricanes and two of those have been major hurricanes.