iStock/Thinkstock(ORLANDO, Fla.) — (PANAMA CITY, Fla.) — Hurricane Michael — a Category 2 hurricane — churned toward the Florida Panhandle Tuesday as the state and its neighbors braced for the impact.
The storm at midday Tuesday already had winds of 110 mph.
When Michael reaches 111 mph, it will become a Category 3 hurricane.
Here is what to expect and when
Tuesday:
— Michael was 310 miles south/southwest of Apalachicola, Florida, on Tuesday afternoon, with the eye of the storm moving over the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
— The storm itself is about 400 miles wide.
— Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Tuesday declared a state of emergency for 92 of his state’s counties, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in 35 counties.
— In Alabama, where residents may see massive power outages, high winds and heavy rain, Gov. Kay Ivey declared a statewide emergency.
Wednesday:
— Landfall is forecast for around 1 p.m. Wednesday near Panama City, with winds possibly reaching 125 mph. (A Category 4 hurricane is 130 mph).
— Storm surge could reach a deadly 12 feet, Gov. Scott warned. “You cannot hide from storm surge,” he said at a news conference Tuesday. “This storm can kill you.”
— Rainfall could reach 12 inches in the Florida Panhandle and up to 6 inches in the Carolinas.
— Warnings are in effect for more than 300 miles of coastline, the National Weather Service said.
Thursday and after:
— Michael is forecast to stay a tropical storm as it moves through Georgia and into the Carolinas on Thursday.
— The storm is expected to move further inland later in the week, potentially bringing rain and heavy wind to portions of South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
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