Hurricane Nicole re-forms in the Atlantic and takes aims at Bermuda amid fears it might reach category three when it reaches the island 

  • Hurricane Nicole has re-formed in the Atlantic and authorities in Bermuda are warning people to prepare for a blow 
  • The storm has maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph, or 120 kph
  • Forecasters say it could be near a category three before its center reaches Bermuda Thursday morning
  • Bermuda's National Security Minister Jeff Baron said Nicole poses a serious threat

Hurricane Nicole has re-formed in the Atlantic and authorities in Bermuda are warning people to prepare.

The US National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm has maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph — and forecasters warn it could be near category three, or winds up to 129mph, by Wednesday.

It is expected to strengthen somewhat before its center reaches Bermuda on Thursday morning.

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Hurricane Nicole has re-formed in the Atlantic and authorities in Bermuda are warning people to prepare for a blow 

Forecasters warn Hurricane  Nicole could be near category three, or winds up to 129mph, by Wednesday

Forecasters warn Hurricane  Nicole could be near category three, or winds up to 129mph, by Wednesday

Bermuda's National Security Minister Jeff Baron said Nicole poses a serious threat, with possible hurricane-force winds hitting the island late Wednesday. 

'I cannot emphasize enough the critical importance of residents securing their homes and completing their preparations well in advance of this storm,' Baron told Bermuda News.

Nicole was located about 355 miles (575 kilometers) south-southwest of Bermuda Tuesday afternoon and it was heading northwest at 5 mph (7 kph).  

Laura Rautenkranz, a forecaster with First Coast News in Jacksonville, Florida, tweeted: 'Watching Tropical Storm Nicole with a Hurricane Watch issued for Bermuda; no issues for the U.S. in the next 5 days.' 

The US National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm has maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph, or 120 kph

Hurricane Nicole could reach category three, or winds up to 129mph, by Wednesday

Residents on the east coast of Florida remain jittery as they pick up the pieces after last week's devastation by Hurricane Matthew, which killed 26 people in Florida and South Carolina.

But Nicole is significantly weaker than Matthew, which was a category 4 hurricane.

There were fears last week that the two storm systems could merge but that has dissipated as Matthew heads north.

Hurricane Nicole's impact has been noticeable even in outer space, as NASA said Tuesday that the next US cargo supply trip to the International Space Station has been postponed until Sunday. 

Nicole was located about 355 miles (575 kilometers) south-southwest of Bermuda Tuesday afternoon and it was heading northwest at 5 mph (7 kph) 

It is too early to say whether it will head toward Florida afterward or whether it will fade out 

Initially set for Thursday, Orbital ATK will now launch its unmanned Cygnus cargo ship no earlier than Sunday from Wallops Island, Virginia, the US space agency said.

Nicole could interfere with key equipment used to assist with the launch which has been rescheduled at 8.03pm.

'The tracking station at Bermuda is required to conduct the Antares launch from Wallops,' said Steven Kremer, chief of the Wallops Range and Mission Management Office.

'The ability to support a launch will depend on the impact the storm has on not only our systems, but also the overall Bermuda infrastructure.'

Once the storm has passed Bermuda, experts will assess the damage and see what, if any, steps are needed to make the site operational again.

Nicole was upgraded from a tropical storm to a Category One hurricane on Tuesday at 9pm GMT by the US National Hurricane Center, which issued a hurricane warning for Bermuda.

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