Hurricane watch, emergency declared for southeast Florida ahead of Nicole

Subtropical storm Nicole map
National Weather Service

Part of Florida still recovering from Hurricane Ian are among 34 counties covered by a state of the emergency declaration issued as Subtropical Storm Nicole heads for the state's southeast coast.

The National Hurricane Center forecasts the storm will arrive on Florida's east coast Wednesday night. Nicole's center is then expected to move across central and northern Florida into southern Georgia Thursday and Thursday night, according to the hurricane center's prediction. Nicole is expected to approach hurricane force when it arrives in Florida.

Nicole is expected to drop between 3 and 5 inches of rain on the eastern, central, and northern portions of Florida.

Counties included in the state of emergency are Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, and Volusia.