A new tropical system developed in the Atlantic is centered approx 600 mi / 1000 km east of West Palm Beach (Florida USA). The system with 45 mph sustained winds was named Nicole.
The latest satellite images showed a wide-reaching spread of clouds/thunderstorms, meaning that its effects will be felt even far from the center of circulation.
The official forecasts showеа the storm continues to strengthen, reaching hurricane status on Wednesday, November 9th, as it moves to the west and makes landfall in Florida sometime on Wednesday night/Thursday morning. From there, it is expected to cross the state into the Gulf of Mexico prior to making a sharp right turn and then tracking up the coast of Georgia/the Carolinas. And it appears nearly the entire Florida state will feel at least some impact.
As of now, the specific impacts are not known, but it seems likely that some voyages will have to be adjusted.
The storm covers a wide area and a number of ports will see its effects. It is also heading right toward The Bahamas, featuring a number of popular island cruise ports including Great Stirrup Cay (NCL), CocoCay (Royal Caribbean) and Nassau. These areas are under a hurricane watch.
From there, it looks to have an impact on Florida cruise ports ranging from Miami to Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale to Port Canaveral/Orlando. These 3 homeports are the busiest in the USA.
Those ships at sea during the time that Nicole arrives could have to change course/itineraries because of the storm. The largest impact will likely be ocean swells.