GREENSBORO, NC -- Michael hits Florida as one of the strongest hurricanes on record. It made landfall near the town of Mexico Beach with 155 mph winds. It is headed our way Thursday, moving toward us as a tropical storm.

Thankfully, Michael will be nothing like Florence for the Carolinas, but it will still bring high winds and heavy rain. The WFMY News 2 Weather Team is tracking the storm that will hit us on Thursday.

As of the 7 PM advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Michael had sustained winds of 100 MPH with stronger gusts. It's located in Southwest Georgia border. It was moving north at 13 mph. Pressure has risen to 950 mb.

Earlier Wednesday, Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, during the afternoon according to the National Hurricane Center. The pressure of 919 mb was the third lowest on record for a tropical system in the mainland United States.

Michael will continue to move toward the Carolinas overnight and move in mid-morning on Thursday. We should plan on quiet weather overnight, with winds picking up after sunrise. Heavy rain and high winds will move in by the lunchtime hour, and stick around through the afternoon. By evening, the heavy rain and high winds will slowly start to subside a bit.

WHAT TO EXPECT HERE:

As the storm looks right now, 2" to 4" of rain is likely across the Piedmont, with higher amounts of 4 to 6" possible in some ares. This is enough to cause some flash flooding problems on Thursday, and possibly a some river flooding on Friday.

As far as wind goes, we can plan on 15-30 mph sustained winds, with gusts of 30-50 mph at times. This would be enough to cause some scattered power outages and possibly a few downed trees Thursday.

Rain totals will generally be 4 to 6 inches in the Triad. That's plenty enough to cause some flash flooding throughout the day, especially in areas that are prone to flooding.

The concern for tornadoes is greater south and east of the Triad, but we'll have to keep our eyes peeled. Areas along the Coastal Plain and the Sandhills will have a better chance to see a tornado or two on Thursday.

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RELATED | Gov. Scott to declare state of emergency to prepare for Tropical Storm Michael

We'll keep you updated on this system. </s> Historic and horrific. When Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida on Wednesday afternoon, maximum sustained winds had intensified to 155 mph. That's just a single mile per hour shy of category 5 strength, making it one of the most powerful hurricanes to ever make landfall in the United States. The storm and damage images coming out of the Florida panhandle are just incredible. (Incredible, but reckless.)

As of this writing (6 a.m. Thursday), Michael has weakened to a tropical storm, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. The storm is centered over the Georgia-South Carolina state line, and will shove toward North Carolina and Virginia as Thursday pushes on.

Let's lay out "8 things to know" about Michael's impact on New Jersey:

1.) Rain and Wind Part 1... Scattered showers will arrive from the southwest Thursday morning , with periods of rain through Thursday afternoon . This precursor event could feature some pockets of heavy rain. And it will be breezy during the daytime hours, with gusts to 25 mph (no more than that).

2.) Rain and Wind Part 2... The steadiest, heaviest rain and gustiest winds will arrive Thursday night through early Friday morning . Rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour could make driving very difficult, both due to flooding/ponding issues and near-zero visibility. Wind gusts are forecast to peak near 40 mph across inland New Jersey and near 50 mph at the beaches. That's strong enough to bring down sizable tree branches and cause power outages.

3.) Flash Flood Watch... Issued for almost all of New Jersey (except for Sussex and Warren counties) from Thursday midday through 5 a.m. Friday morning . A watch means that very heavy rain may cause rapid rises in water. (Again, this is "inland" flooding, not "tidal" flooding.)

4.) Rainfall Totals... NW NJ (Sussex and Warren counties) will see the calmest winds and lightest rain, with totals maybe in the half-inch to inch range. (And even that might be pushing it.) Most of the state should expect 1 to 2 inches of rain. The worst of it will affect the south coast, around southern Ocean, Atlantic, and Cape May counties. 3+ inches of rain could cause significant flooding.

5.) Down the Shore... In terms of coastal issues, the Jersey Shore has little to worry about from Michael. Surge estimates are below a foot from Sandy Hook to Cape May.

6.) Action Steps... As long as you don't dip into complacency and stay "weather aware" over the next 24 hours, you'll probably weather Michael's storm OK. Consciously stay alert to changing weather and road conditions, and avoid unnecessary travel.

7.) Clearing Out... Rain will come to an end by about 8 a.m. Friday , as Michael (like a post-tropical storm at that point) rapidly pulls away from the U.S. East Coast. Winds will calm significantly and skies should clear to sunshine by Noon Friday .

8.) Cooling Down... And then, here comes the big cooldown! Temperatures will tumble throughout Friday — 60s in the morning, 50s in the afternoon, and 40s at night.

9.) The Weekend... Yup, it is definitely going to feel like fall! Morning low temps will probably end up in the 40s for the majority of the Garden State. There could be a few 30s in NW NJ and the Pine Barrens (especially Sunday AM) — that could be cold enough to produce our first frost of the season. Afternoon high temperatures will be in the lower 60s, at best. Models have stubbornly painted a shower and/or some drizzle over New Jersey Saturday morning , but I don't completely buy it. (Our atmosphere is going to be very dry.) Other than that, we'll see a mix of sun and clouds throughout the weekend .

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter for the latest forecast and realtime weather updates. </s> RICHMOND, Va. -- Hurricane Michael is currently moving into the southern Gulf of Mexico and will strengthen over the next couple of days. Michael could become a major hurricane before making landfall along the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday.

Michael will move inland and accelerate, bringing a shot of rain and breezy conditions to Virginia Thursday through early Friday morning.

"The main shield of rain from the system will come Thursday afternoon and Thursday night into early Friday morning," meteorologist Tom Patton said Tuesday morning. "Maybe some embedded thunderstorms, we could see several inches of rain out of that."

More information can be found in the CBS 6 Hurricane Tracker.

The cold front that will shove Michael eastward away from Virginia will bring us our first true fall air mass. Expect chilly nights and mild afternoons Friday through Sunday under mostly sunny skies. Seasonal weather will continue into early next week. </s> Hurricane Michael, which made landfall in Florida Wednesday, is being called the third-strongest storm to hit North America. In the D.C. area, its effects are a few days off and should be limited.

WASHINGTON — Hurricane Michael, which made landfall in Florida Wednesday, is being called the third-strongest storm to hit North America. In the D.C. area, its effects are a couple days off and should be limited.

Storm Team 4 meteorologist Lauryn Ricketts said Wednesday that Michael would have a bit more of an impact on the area than it appeared on Tuesday, though a cold front heading across the U.S. would still, in fact, fend off the worst.

On Wednesday, she called for showers Thursday morning for most of the area, with rain increasing over the rest of the day and totaling 1 to 2 inches, with more south and east of D.C.

The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Watch on Wednesday afternoon, lasting from Thursday afternoon to late Thursday night for Calvert, St. Mary’s and Charles counties in Maryland and Stafford County in Virginia.

On Friday morning, conditions will dry out, but the winds will pick up, Ricketts said, reaching 35 mph for most of the area and with gusts hitting 50 to 60 mph south and east of D.C.

Ricketts called for Michael to be a tropical depression, or a post-tropical depression, by the time it gets to the WTOP listening area, and to be pushed off the coast of Virginia by the cold front.

Supercharged by abnormally warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle with terrifying winds of 155 mph Wednesday, splintering homes and submerging neighborhoods. It was the most powerful hurricane to hit the continental U.S. in nearly 50 years.

It appeared to be so powerful that it was expected to remain a hurricane as it moves into Alabama and Georgia early Thursday. Forecasters said it will unleash damaging wind and rain all the way into the Carolinas, still recovering from Hurricane Florence’s epic flooding.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> Hurricane Michael forecast: What to expect and when

ABC NEWS – Hurricane Michael — a Category 4 hurricane — churned toward the Florida Panhandle early Wednesday as the state and its neighbors braced for the impact.

The storm reached Category 4 status in the overnight hours Wednesday morning with winds of 140 mph.

The storm is expected to remain a strong Category 4 storm by landfall. No Category 4 or greater storm has ever hit the Florida Panhandle.

Here is what to expect and when

— As of the National Weather Service’s 5 a.m. update, Michael was 140 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, but outer bands were already starting to deliver rain.

— Landfall is forecast for around 1 p.m. Wednesday near Panama City, with winds over 140 mph. (A Category 5 hurricane is over 156 mph, which it is not likely to reach.)

— Storm surge could reach a deadly 13 feet, the National Hurricane Center warned. “You cannot hide from storm surge,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott said at a news conference Tuesday. “This storm can kill you.”

— Storm surge of 9 to 13 feet is expected from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, to Keaton Beach, Florida.

— The Florida Panhandle will start to see tropical storm strength winds (over 38 mph) in the early morning hours. Hurricane strength winds are expected during the midday.

— Rainfall could reach 12 inches in the Florida Panhandle and up to 6 inches, with isolated totals of 8 inches, in the Carolinas.

— Warnings are in effect for more than 300 miles of coastline, the National Weather Service said.

— 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. </s> Hurricane Michael continues to show signs of improved organization and strengthening. The latest update from the National Hurricane Center Tuesday morning put the winds at 100 mph. You can see overall a lot more symmetry and structure with the storm as well as a small eye trying to form.

Overall the same thoughts as yesterday still remain. Michael will be in an area that will allow it to strengthen more before landfall. It will continue to move north before turning northeast.

The forecast still calls for a major hurricane at landfall with winds around 120 mph. Landfall is expected along the Florida panhandle near Panama City to Apalachicola. Significant storm surge will be the main threat along with damaging winds. Heavy rain will lead to flash flooding although the storm will move very quickly northeast which should less rainfall amounts a little bit.

Overall for our area in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi we will continue to see fringe impacts. Minor coastal flooding will continue through Tuesday night before ending Wednesday. Tropical showers and downpours will be moving through the area through Tuesday as well.

Offshore winds will be stronger and could approach tropical storm strength. Dangerous conditions will be in the offshore waters and boating is not recommended.

As always stay with WGNO on air and online for the latest on Michael. </s> While many of you are still mumbling under your collective breaths, “Say it ain’t so, Flo,” following the devastation of Hurricane Florence, there is reason that mantra might need changing to “Take a hike, Mike.”

Far too many in Scotland County and beyond continue to pick up the pieces from Florence. There are trees down everywhere; there are large areas of standing water; and there are homes that can no longer be lived in. People have just begun the rebuilding process and, in some cases, remain in lines to apply for government benefits.

And now, here comes Hurricane Michael.

This one is expected to be far different than what we went through with Florence — mostly in the fact that it will not come through our front door as a direct hit to southeast North Carolina. Instead, Michael is expected to take a back-door approach by making landfall in the Gulf of Mexico near the Florida panhandle and continue northeast through Georgia and the Carolinas.

Though Michael will hit the U.S. coast as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday, it is predicted to weaken quickly as it makes a swift move toward us here. Be that as it may, Michael’s force shouldn’t be minimized.

When Michael arrives in our region on Thursday, we can expect to see winds from 30 mph to 50 mph — easily strong enough to create additional damage to already weakened trees and buildings, as well as threaten power lines once again. And, of course, there will also be the rain — and that’s probably what we don’t need most. Although only 3 to 4 inches are being predicted for our area, our crops are already soaked, our streams and ponds remain full, and the Lumber River doesn’t need another fill-up.

We can complain, but it won’t keep Michael from coming ashore or from saying hello to the Carolinas this week.

What can be done is to prepare once again. It’s not wise to compare this one to the last one and relax — instead, get ready for Michael as you would any potentially severe storm. Have supplies ready. That means all the usual things like food, batteries, gasoline, prescriptions filled, flashlights, etc.

Unlike Florence, Michael should make a quick entrance and just as quick an exit, so the lingering effects will be minimal. But since he is coming through here less than a month after Florence, it’s worth getting ready for what will be left behind. Again, expect the worst and hope for the best.

We will try to keep you informed — both online and in print — of Hurricane Michael’s journey from the Gulf, but you would be wise to also keep WLNC radio and The Weather Channel handy and tuned in over the next 24 hours or more.

And while you are at it, say a prayer for those who will take the biggest hit.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” (Benjamin Franklin) </s> Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, around 1:30 p.m. EDT with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph and a minimum pressure of 919 millibars. Michael is slowly weakening as it moves through Georgia this evening.

We will start to feel the effects from the remnants of Michael tomorrow. Isolated showers and thunderstorms will become more numerous Thursday night, with heavy rain likely into Friday morning. Rainfall of 3-6" will be possible, which could cause some issues with localized flooding. Winds will pick up through the night and be strongest early Friday morning, with sustained winds of 30-50 mph and gusts up to 60 mph possible along the coast. This would be enough to cause some issues with tree damage and power outages. The good news is Michael will not linger, and we should see clearing skies and diminishing winds later Friday morning.

Behind Michael, we can expect temperatures to drop, with a beautiful weekend with highs in the upper 60s to around 70°. </s> With 155mph winds at landfall, Hurricane Michael is the strongest storm to hit the continental US since Hurricane Andrew devastated south Florida in 1992. It has been downgraded to a category 3 hurricane and its eye is now approaching south-east Alabama and south-west Georgia. The storm was moving at 16 mph as of 4pm local time, according to the National Hurricane Center, and its sustained winds were at 125mph. Michael is expected to move across Alabama and Georgia over the course of Wednesday evening. Life-threatening storm surge and catastrophic winds will continue, the National Hurricane Center says
Heavy rain and strong winds from Michael are expected in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Virginia on Thursday.