USA: Hurricane Nicole is on its way to Florida

Storm Nicole has gained strength over the Bahamas and is now heading to the US East Coast as a relatively rare November hurricane. Evacuation orders were issued in Florida.

Tropical Storm Nicole developed into a hurricane on its way from the Bahamas to Florida. Authorities have ordered evacuations, including from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.

The November hurricane is a rare event in Florida, which is generally used for storms. It’s only happened twice since records began in 1853 – Hurricane Yankee in 1935 and Hurricane Kate in 1985. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30.

Florida has already been affected by Ian.

Nicole was expected to reach Florida overnight (local time) and cause a storm that would further damage beaches already hit by Hurricane Ian in September. The storm should then move to Georgia, North and South Carolina. Heavy rain is expected.

The center of the storm was about 160 km east of Palm Beach on Wednesday evening, according to the Miami National Hurricane Center. The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 kilometers per hour. Nicole was moving west at 20 kilometers per hour.

Nicole arrives in the Bahamas

Just below the hurricane’s threshold, the storm’s center made landfall over the Bahamian island of Greater Abaco on Wednesday. As a result, according to the American Hurricane Center NHC, a continuous wind speed of up to 120 kilometers per hour was measured – from 119 kilometers per hour it is a hurricane.

Emergency shelters were provided and public facilities were closed in the Bahamas. According to initial media reports, flooding occurred in the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Island. There, in the northwest of the island nation, Hurricane Dorian was one of the most powerful Atlantic storms ever measured in September 2019, causing more than 70 deaths and extensive destruction.