A hurricane watch was issued Monday for a large stretch of the East Coast of Florida, as Subtropical Storm Nicole posed a late-season threat to the state.
The National Hurricane Center said the hurricane watch was in effect from Hallandale Beach to the border of Brevard and Volusia counties. It also was in effect for Lake Okeechobee. A tropical-storm watch was in effect from Hallandale Beach to around Ocean Reef in the Florida Keys and from the border of Brevard and Volusia counties north into Georgia.
Also, a storm-surge watch had been issued for most of Florida’s East Coast. “On the forecast track, the center of Nicole will approach the northwestern Bahamas on Tuesday, move near or over those islands on Wednesday and approach the East Coast of Florida by Wednesday night,” an advisory from the hurricane center said. The advisory said maximum sustained winds were about 45 mph. “Gradual strengthening is forecast during the next few days, and Nicole is forecast to be at hurricane intensity by Wednesday or Wednesday night while it is moving near or over the northwestern Bahamas,” the advisory said. Local residents must prepare their homes for possible damages that the storms may cause. Through regular roofing maintenance services provided by roofing repair contractors, roofing systems can be reinforced and can help make them strong enough to withstand extreme weather conditions. Business owners can also hire commercial roofing contractors to fix any roofing damages that make their buildings vulnerable to hurricanes and storms.
The threat comes after Hurricane Ian caused massive damage when it made landfall Sept. 28 in Southwest Florida and crossed the state. The six-month hurricane season will end Nov. 30.