Subtropical Storm Nicole could make Florida landfall, bring heavy rain to NC

Subtropical Storm Nicole formed Monday and could bring heavy rain to North Carolina by the weekend.

At 5 a.m. on Monday, the storm was 550 miles east of the Bahamas. WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said Nicole could be very close to hurricane strength when it makes landfall, possibly near Miami, midweek, although it’s too early to pin down exactly where in Florida the storm will land.

Landfall is expected along Florida’s southeastern coast Wednesday night and Thursday morning. N.C. could see rain by Friday night or Saturday morning.

“The forecast fan is huge,” Gardner said, explaining N.C. will be impacted more by rain than by wind.

Right now, it looks like 2 inches of rain will be possible in N.C. by Saturday, although the forecast could change.

A subtropical storm is very similar to a tropical storm in terms of its strength and impact, it is just structured differently at its core, Gardner explained.

Hurricane season officially extends through Nov. 30, although storms like this are more likely in September and October. Meteorologists will be watching Nicole closely in the coming days.