Nicole could become a November hurricane. Will Georgia feel impacts from the storm?
A tropical system that could make landfall in Florida as a hurricane may bring wet weather to most of Georgia this weekend.
Subtropical Storm Nicole, currently disorganized in the Atlantic Ocean, is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm in 24 to 36 hours, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Monday it its 10 a.m. update.
Nicole is expected to reach hurricane strength near the Bahamas on Wednesday before moving over Florida overnight, the NHC predicts. A hurricane watch has been issued for Florida’s east coast.
After Nicole moves inland, weakening is expected as the system moves over a cooler part of the Gulf of Mexico near the Panhandle.
The “cone of uncertainty” that predicts a storm’s track is challenging to pinpoint beyond 60 hours in the future, but the Hurricane Center predicts that Nicole is expected will move over Georgia overnight Friday as a tropical storm.
The system could bring significant rainfall to the Peach State, including in the Columbus and Macon areas.
It’s going to start to feel like winter, though, once Nicole moves out of the Peach State.
Columbus and Macon are both projected to see low temperatures in the 30s on Saturday morning.
Hurricanes are rare in November but still occur. The National Weather Service says residents in the Gulf Coast region and Georgia should keep a close eye on the storm.
“Regardless on the ultimate intensity of Nicole, the storm’s large size due to an enhanced pressure gradient north of the storm will likely cause significant wind, storm surge, and rainfall impacts over a large portion of the northwestern Bahamas, Florida and the southeastern coast of the United States during much of the upcoming week,” the NHC said.
This story was originally published November 7, 2022 at 11:56 AM.
