Storm-Weary Florida Bracing For Another Hurricane This Week

Just six weeks after Hurricane Ian’s catastrophic landfall, Florida has found itself in the crosshairs of another hurricane.

A hurricane warning was issued along the central part of Florida's east coast this morning as Tropical Storm Nicole showed signs of further strengthening as it made its way through the Atlantic towards the already wounded state. 

Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 34 of Florida's 67 counties.

“I urge all Floridians to be prepared and to listen to announcements from local emergency management officials,” DeSantis said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor the trajectory and strength of this storm as it moves towards Florida.”

The National Weather Service is currently projecting the storm to make landfall near the cities of Melbourne or Cocoa Beach as a hurricane early Thursday bringing torrential rain, damaging winds, and surge.  The highest storm surge is expected to extend from West Palm Beach to southern Georgia, where water could rise up to six feet.

"No matter whether Nicole strikes Florida as a tropical storm or a Category 1 hurricane, it will bring widespread impacts to the state," said The Weather Channel senior digital meteorologist Chris Dolce. "Florida's east coast can expect significant coastal flooding, major beach erosion, tropical-storm-force winds and locally heavy rainfall."

This is a developing story.