Naples News

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5:12 P.M. —

Tropical Storm Nicole has dissipated over the Florida straits, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Aircraft and surface observations indicate that the storm’s circulation has degenerated into an elongated area of low pressure.

The remnants of the Nicole were moving toward the north-northeast at 12 mph.

Winds associated with the system should gradually subside but a strong non-tropical low pressure system with gale force winds is expected to develop near the southeast U.S. Coast tonight.

Forecasters say a the system could still drop heavy rains over South Florida and the Keys.

Forecasters say four to eight inches of rain were possible across South Florida and the Keys as the storm pushes into the Atlantic near the Bahamas.

11:57 a.m. update

National Weather Service meteorologist Daniel Noah said it?s looking more and more like areas of Southwest Florida will be spared heavy rains from Tropical Storm Nicole.

Noah said the area will likely see scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon, but nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.

?It?s looking like nothing worse than an afternoon thunderstorm,? he said. ?It?s been a non-event for us.?

Noah added most rain associated with the storm will be east of Key West and Melbourne, and he said Nicole will likely begin to weaken in the coming hours.

He gave a 40 to 50 percent chance of precipitation in the Fort Myers area later this afternoon.

11:11 a.m. update

Although the recently named Tropical Storm Nicole is still heading northeast, all tropical storm warnings and watches for Florida have been discontinued.

With maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, Nicole is traveling on a bearing of 40 degrees from its 11 a.m. position, 120 miles east southeast of Havana, Cuba.

Tropical storm warnings remain in effect for the Cayman Islands, the provinces of Cuba from Matanzas east to Ciego de Avila and the northwestern and central Bahamas.

11 a.m. update

Tropical Storm Nicole has formed this morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm’s center is about 120 miles east-southeast of Havana, Cuba, and moving northeast at 9 mph.

As of 11 a.m., Nicole’s winds are at 40 mph. No further strengthening in expected.

All watches and warnings for Florida have been discontinued, as the majority of heavy weather from the system is expected to stay offshore.

However, the east coast is experiencing some gusty winds and heavy rain this morning.

Nicole is expected to continue heading northeast with an increase in forward speed. The center of the system will move over the Florida Straits later this afternoon before moving over the Bahamas and on into the Atlantic, where it should be absorbed by an extratropical low Thursday.

8:18 a.m. update

Although Marco Island and Collier County had been expected to get hit by rain as the system moved through, most of southern Collier remained dry this morning.

Marco police reported no rain-related traffic problems at 8 a.m.

But winds were beginning to gust.

6:51 a.m. update

Tropical Depression 16 is tracking to sweep by the east coast of the state, but Southwest Florida is still expected to get its share of rain this afternoon and Thursday.

The National Hurricane Center?s 5 a.m. update had the storm south-southwest of Miami an moving north-northwest at about 14 mph with maximum sustained winds near 35 mph.

It is expected to reach the east coast of Florida in the early afternoon.

The storm is expected to stay east, but will bring rains to Southwest Florida throughout the day.

Rain bands are already beginning to impact southern parts of the state.

There will be a 70 percent chance of precipitation, cloudy skies and thunderstorms expected through the day.

Southwest Florida could get more than an inch of rain some areas.

Morning temperatures are in the mid 70s and are expected to reach the high 80s by the afternoon.

The storm is expected to reach the east coast of Central Florida by early Thursday morning.

There will a 30 percent chance of precipitation Thursday with cloudy skies and a chance of scattered showers.

Morning temperatures are expected to reach the low 70s before jumping to the high 80s in the afternoon.

Morning humidity could reach 97 percent before dropping to 55 percent in the afternoon.

Winds are expected to reach 7 mph in some areas.

Weather patterns should be getting back to normal by Friday morning with temperatures in the low 70s before jumping to the high 80s in the afternoon.

There will be a 10 percent chance of precipitation with partly cloudy skies expected through the day.

Morning humidity could reach 99 percent before dropping to 49 percent in the afternoon.

Winds could reach 6 mph in some areas.

From this morning on news-press.com

by Kevin Lollar
klollar@news-press.com

Southwest Florida should remain relatively dry as Tropical Depression 16 moves up the state’s southeast coast today.

South Florida Water Management District officials predict areas south and east of Lake Okeechobee will get an average of 4 1/2 inches of rain, with a maximum of 8 inches, while the west coast should get an average of 1 inch and a maximum of 2.

Because September has been slightly drier than normal and because South Florida has not experienced any tropical systems this hurricane season, groundwater levels are low, so there will be a lower chance of flooding, said Susan Sylvester, water district director of operations.

“We don’t know the speed of this storm,” Sylvester said. “Slow-moving storms provide the most challenge because they can dump a lot of rain and overwhelm the residual storage in the groundwater.

“We know there’s a lot of moisture south of us, and conditions are right to funnel that moisture over us.”

Florida’s east coast from Jupiter Inlet south and the Keys, including Florida Bay and the Dry Tortugas, are under a tropical storm warning.

The marine forecast for the east coast today is southeast winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts to 63; the Keys are looking at southeast winds to 40 mph.

From Bonita Beach to Englewood, the marine forecast is north winds at 17 mph.

To protect Lake Okeechobee’s Herbert Hoover Dike, water managers want to keep lake levels between 12.5 and 15.5 feet. When lake levels rise, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases water down the Caloosahatchee River.

Lake levels Tuesday were 14.02 feet, and the Corps was not releasing water.

Releases might, however, become necessary if the storm produces more rain than is expected.

Although the east coast and Keys are expected to take the biggest hit from Tropical Depression 16, the Lee County Emergency Operations Center is at Level 3.

“That means we are watching it,” spokeswoman Diane Holm said. “‘Monitoring’ is the key word. Everybody should get their kits together. Everybody should be preparing, but there’s no need to start putting up shutters just yet.”