Weather forecasters seem confident that Tropical Storm Nicole will strengthen to Hurricane Nicole before it makes landfall on Florida’s Treasure Coast on the early morning of November 10, 2022.

As of Wednesday morning, Hurricane Nicole is projected to arrive near Port St. Lucile, with the area of impact ranging from the Vero Beach area to the north and West Palm Beach and Boca Raton to the south.

Current windspeed projections for landfall are 50 to 75 mph sustained winds with gusts of up to 90 mph. If Nicole arrives at the higher end of those estimates, it will make landfall as a Category 1 hurricane before quickly weakening to a tropical storm as it moves inland and north over central Florida.

There are no good hurricanes, and even Category 1 storms have the potential to cause serious damage to homes and businesses along the coast, but the strength and ferocity should be far less than what was experienced on Florida’s west coast during Hurricane Ian at the end of September 2022.

Should You Evacuate Ahead of Hurricane Nicole?

Some residents of Brevard County have been encouraged to evacuate as of Wednesday morning. Affected residents include:

• People living in mobile homes
• People living in manufactured houses
• Anyone living or working in high-risk flood zones
• People with medical conditions, especially those who rely on electrically powered devices
• Anyone living, working or residing on the barrier islands along the Treasure Coast

If you live or work anywhere between Kennedy Space Center south beaches or Merritt Island, it may be in your best interest to heed evacuation recommendations.

Parts of Flagler County, especially barrier island residents, are also encouraged to evacuate and seek shelter at Rymfire Elementary School. That shelter is scheduled to open Wednesday afternoon by 3 p.m.

Are There Shelters in Brevard County?

Yes – Brevard County has opened four shelters as of 9 a.m. Wednesday morning:

• Max K. Rodes Community Center
• South Mainland Community Center
• Viera Regional Community Center
• Walter Butler Community Center

What Should I Do if My Home Is Damaged by Tropical Storm or Hurricane Nicole?

Although Hurricane Nicole is unlikely to match Hurricane Ian in terms of ferocity or size, it will arrive on Florida’s Treasure Coast with enough storm surge and windspeed to cause significant damage to homes and businesses.

High volumes of hurricane damage claims are an inevitability with any serious storm, even a tropical storm or Category 1 hurricane. Things may be more difficult for claim filers affected by Hurricane Nicole due to its close proximity to Hurricane Ian.

Insurance companies and contractors are already dealing with high volumes of hurricane claims and repair work across the state. It’s likely that people with Hurricane Nicole claims will end up in line behind those with Hurricane Ian claims.

The sooner you’re able to file your claim the better. The one silver lining is people affected by Hurricane Nicole will hopefully be able to return home and begin cleanup sooner than the residents of Fort Myers and Cape Coral, who in some cases were forced to wait weeks before they could safely return home and begin rebuilding.

If you run into any issues with the insurance company, including claim denials, underpayments or inappropriate delays, call the team at Kanner & Pintaluga. Our property damage attorneys are always ready to advocate on behalf of hurricane damage claim filers throughout Florida. Call us 24/7 at 800.586.5555.