Located within an area of moderate southwesterly wind shear, the depression was slow to organize; early on October 14, a clear center was not depicted on Infrared satellite imagery. The depression moved to the west-northwest and gradually strengthened into Tropical Storm Nicholas late on October 14 while located 1,200 miles (1,930 km) east of the Windward Islands. On October 15, deep convection became much better organized, though the center of Nicholas remained displaced from the deepest of the shower activity. Despite the shear, the storm continued to strengthen as it moved to the west-northwest, a motion caused by a mid-level ridge to its north. On October 16, Nicholas transitioned from a sheared, unorganized system to a more organized system, as a result of banding features and improvement in its convective pattern due to lesser amounts of vertical shear and a healthier anticyclone over the storm. Nicholas continued to strengthen, and attained a peak intensity of 70 mph (110 km/h) on October 17 while located 875 miles (1,410 km) east of the Leeward Islands. Dvorak estimates suggested Nicholas potentially attained hurricane status, though microwave images of the storm showed a sheared system without any evidence of an eye feature.