The National Hurricane Center says Michael is making landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, as a catastrophic Category 4 Hurricane, pushing a deadly storm surge and whipping the coast with 155 mph (250 kph) winds.
Gaining frightening fury overnight, Hurricane Michael closed in Wednesday on the Florida Panhandle with potentially catastrophic winds of 145 mph, the most powerful storm on record ever to menace the stretch of fishing towns, military bases and spring-break beaches.
A fast and furious Hurricane Michael sped toward the Florida Panhandle on Tuesday with 120 mph winds and a potential storm surge of 13 feet, giving tens of thousands of people precious little time to get out or board up.
In the storm-weary Carolinas, Hurricane Michaelβs approach is stoking fresh fears among homeowners who still have tarps on their roofs or industrial dehumidifiers drying their floors from destruction left by Hurricane Florence.
Hurricane Michael, a category 2 storm, is predicted to journey across the Carolinas late Wednesday and early Thursday, pouring 2 to 6 inches or more of rainfall.
Hurricane Michael gained new strength Monday and is expected to keep growing stronger ahead of an expected midweek strike on Floridaβs Panhandle, forecasters said.