At a Glance
- Michael is expected to make landfall along Florida's northeastern Gulf Coast Wednesday afternoon.
- A Category 4 or stronger hurricane has never made landfall in the Florida Panhandle.
- Catastrophic storm surge and destructive winds will occur near the landfall in the Florida Panhandle.
- Over a million power outages will occur not just near the coast, but also inland after landfall.
- Rainfall flooding is also a significant threat inland into the Carolinas.
Wind
- Hurricane-force winds (74-plus mph) and tropical-storm-force winds (39-plus mph) are spreading onshore in the hurricane warning area on the northeastern Gulf Coast.
- Hurricane-force winds will also spread well inland across portions of the Florida Panhandle, southeastern Alabama and southwestern Georgia.- According to the National Hurricane Center, Category 4 winds in the eyewall of Michael are capable of catastrophic damage, including severe damage of well-built framed homes, many trees snapped and uprooted blocking numerous roads.
- Tropical-storm-force winds are expected to arrive in the tropical storm warning area along the southeastern U.S. coast by late Wednesday.
Rainfall
- Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches are forecast from the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend into southeastern Alabama and southwestern and middle Georgia, according to the National Hurricane Center. Locally, up to a foot of rain is possible. This may cause life-threatening flash flooding in some areas.
- The rest of Georgia, the Carolinas and southern Virginia may pick up 3 to 6 inches of rain, potentially triggering flash flooding. Locally, up to 8 inches is possible. This will include some areas devastated by flooding from Hurricane Florence. That said, this system will move quickly rather than stall like Florence did and will, therefore, not bring extreme rainfall amounts.
- The Florida Peninsula, eastern mid-Atlantic states and southern New England coast may see 1 to 3 inches of rain.
- The rest of Georgia, the Carolinas and southern Virginia may pick up 3 to 6 inches of rain, potentially triggering flash flooding. Locally, up to 8 inches is possible. This will include some areas devastated by flooding from Hurricane Florence. That said, this system will move quickly rather than stall like Florence did and will, therefore, not bring extreme rainfall amounts.
- The Florida Peninsula, eastern mid-Atlantic states and southern New England coast may see 1 to 3 inches of rain.
Tornadoes
- As is typical with landfalling hurricanes, isolated tornadoes will be a threat on the eastern side of the storm.
- A tornado watch has been issued for portions of northern Florida and southwestern Georgia until 5 p.m. EDT.
- Wednesday and Wednesday night, the tornado threat will be in play mainly from parts of north Florida to south and middle Georgia and southern South Carolina.
- Thursday and Thursday night, that tornado threat spreads into the coastal Carolinas.
- A tornado watch has been issued for portions of northern Florida and southwestern Georgia until 5 p.m. EDT.
- Wednesday and Wednesday night, the tornado threat will be in play mainly from parts of north Florida to south and middle Georgia and southern South Carolina.
- Thursday and Thursday night, that tornado threat spreads into the coastal Carolinas.
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