Subtropical Storm Nicole showed signs of strengthening Tuesday morning as forecasters anticipate the system will turn west and make landfall in Florida this week as a possible hurricane. As of 7 a.m.

Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm was about 385 miles east-northeast of the northwestern Bahamas with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in 34 counties, and a hurricane watch was in effect from Hallandale Beach to the border of Volusia and Brevard counties.

The storm is on track to approach Florida’s East Coast on Wednesday night at or near hurricane strength.

The system is then expected to move through Central and North Florida before entering South Georgia on Thursday.

Storm-surge warnings were in place from North Palm Beach up the coast into Georgia.

A storm-surge warning also was in effect from the mouth of the St. Johns River to Georgetown in Putnam County.