TROPICAL storm Michael strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane on Monday as it barrelled toward the US Gulf Coast packing maximum sustained winds of 120km per hour, meteorologists said.

The weather system was located between Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula and the west coast of Cuba and was heading slowly towards the northern Gulf Coast of Florida, the National Hurricane Centre in Miami said.

It is expected to be a major Category 3 hurricane by the time it hits Florida on Wednesday, before moving northeast across the southeastern United States through until Thursday.

“#Michael could produce three life-threatening hazards along portions of the northeastern Gulf Coast: storm surge, heavy rainfall, and hurricane-force winds, with storm surge and hurricane watches in effect,” the National Hurricane Centre said on Twitter.

“Residents in these areas should follow advice given by local officials.”

Heavy rainfall from Michael could produce “life-threatening flash flooding,” the National Hurricane Centre said, from the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region into portions of the Carolinas through until Thursday.

The first rains from Michael were already beginning to soak the Florida Keys on Monday, with up to 10 centimetres expected to fall through until Tuesday.

“This morning I met with local officials and emergency management professionals in Bay County in preparation for Hurricane Michael,” Governor Scott tweeted.

“I will be in Pasco County this afternoon to give another briefing. [Florida] families need to get ready for this storm RIGHT NOW.”

The Carolinas are on the long recovery from Hurricane Florence, which left dozens dead and is estimated to have caused billions of dollars in damage last month.

It made landfall on the coast as a Category 1 hurricane on September 14 and drenched some parts of the state with one metre of rain.

Last year saw a string of catastrophic storms batter the West Atlantic — including Irma, Maria and Hurricane Harvey — causing a record-equalling $US125 billion ($A177 billion) in damages when it flooded the Houston metropolitan area.

For this hurricane season, the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasting service and Britain’s Met Office predict between five and nine storms of Category 3 or stronger.

Scientists have long warned that global warming will make cyclones more destructive, and some say the evidence for this may already be visible.

At their most fearsome, these low-pressure weather fronts pack more power than the energy released by the atomic bomb that levelled Hiroshima.

“EVERY FAMILY must be prepared. We can rebuild your home, but we cannot rebuild your life,” Governor Scott added. </s> The U.S. National Hurricane Center on Sunday upgraded Tropical Depression Michael to a tropical storm, hours before its top sustained winds of 60 mph exceeded forecasts.

By 11 p.m. ET Sunday, the storm was located around 105 miles east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico and moving to the north at about 5 mph. Tropical storm winds extended out 170 miles, primarily to the northeast and southeast of the storm's center. It also was about 135 miles south-southwest of the western tip of Cuba.

The storm is expected to further strengthen into a hurricane in the next couple of days as its center travels over the Yucatan Channel, crosses the Gulf of Mexico and nears the Florida Panhandle coast around Wednesday.

Forecasters advised residents along the northeastern and central U.S. Gulf Coast to monitor the storm's progress.

"While the impacts are still uncertain, our area could experience increased wind activity and heavy rainfall, which could cause localized flooding and downed trees," Tallahassee officials said in a statement.

The city of Pensacola tweeted to residents, "Be sure you have your emergency plan in place."

Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Sunday warned that a tropical storm headed for the Florida Panhandle could become a Category 2 hurricane with winds up to 100 miles per hour by the time it makes landfall around Wednesday. Scott issued an order for a state of emergency for 26 counties in the Florida Panhandle and the Big Bend area.

"This storm will be life-threatening and extremely dangerous," Scott said after receiving a briefing at the State Emergency Operations Center.

The governor warned that storm surge could affect areas of Florida not in the storm's direct path.

"If this storm hit Panama City, Tampa could still have storm surge," said Scott, referring to two Florida cities about 375 miles apart by the highway. "Every family must be prepared."

Scott also activated 500 members of the Florida National Guard ahead of the storm.

Michael is the 13th named storm of the 2018 hurricane season, according to hurricane center spokesman Dennis Feltgen.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> Hurricane Michael is on its way.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Michael was upgraded from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane Monday morning.

The NHC expects the storm to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday before driving into the southeastern states that night into Thursday.

The hurricane now has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph with gusts up to 90 mph and was about 80 miles from the western tip of Cuba.

"Steady to rapid strengthening is forecast during the next day or so, and Michael is forecast to become a major hurricane by Tuesday or Tuesday night," the NHC said.

The NHC predicts Michael to cross the eastern Gulf of Mexico Monday evening into Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the storm is expected to climb over the Florida Panhandle or Florida Big Bend area.

From there, Michael will continue northeast into the southeastern states Wednesday night and Thursday.

The storm is expected to bring 2-3 inches of rain to parts of North Carolina including the Piedmont Triad.

The NHC reported watches and warnings for a hurricane, tropical storm and storm surge in a number of areas in Florida and the Caribbean on Michael's approach.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
• The Cuban province of the Isle of Youth
• The coast of Mexico from Tulum to Cabo Catoche, including Cozumel

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for:

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for: </s> Hurricane Michael formed Monday morning in the Caribbean Sea and is heading for a landfall as a major hurricane with 120-mph winds along the Gulf Coast by midweek.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott says Michael is a “monstrous storm” that has the potential to be devastating to the Florida Panhandle.

By 4 p.m. Monday, Michael's top sustained winds were around 75 mph (120 kph).

The storm was centered about 30 miles (80 kilometers) off the western tip of Cuba, and about 520 miles (835 kilometers) south of Apalachicola, Florida. It was moving north around 9 mph (11 kph).

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph with higher gusts, the National Hurricane Center said. Steady to rapid strengthening is expected for the next day or so. Michael is forecast to become a major hurricane by Tuesday or Tuesday night and should make landfall Wednesday afternoon or evening.

"Michael could produce three life-threatening hazards along portions of the northeastern Gulf Coast: storm surge, heavy rainfall and hurricane-force winds," according to the hurricane center.

Because of the storm surge threat, three Florida panhandle counties have issued mandatory evacuation orders ahead of the hurricane.

A hurricane watch has been posted for the Florida Gulf Coast, all the way from the Alabama-Florida border to the Suwannee River in Florida. A storm surge of up to 12 feet is forecast for a large section of the Florida coast.

According to the hurricane center, one potential impact from a Category 3 hurricane is that "electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes."

A major hurricane is a Category 3, 4 or 5 hurricane, which has winds of at least 111 mph. If the forecast is correct, it would be only the 11th major hurricane to hit Florida in October since records began in 1851, Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach said.

Scott declared an emergency in 35 counties and has asked President Trump for help ahead of the storm.

“Take this seriously and keep your family safe,” Scott said from Bay County on Monday. “We know that a storm like Michael can be devastating and deadly.”

Florida State University announced it will close from Tuesday through Friday this week.

Scott said 500 Florida National Guard members had been activated for planning, logistics and response, and another 5,000 stood at the ready.

"Do not take a chance on storm surge," Scott said. "This storm will be life-threatening and really dangerous. This is coming very fast."

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey also declared a state of emergency in her state, "in anticipation of widespread power outages, wind damage and debris produced by high winds and heavy rain associated with Hurricane Michael."

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee said: "This is a storm to definitely take very seriously. Storm preparations should be rushed to completion today and Tuesday."

Early Monday afternoon, Michael was centered about 20 miles off the western tip of Cuba and about 600 miles south of Tallahassee, Florida. It was moving to the north at 7 mph.

After the storm moves inland, it could dump additional unwanted rain on the Carolinas, which were battered by Florence in September. "Areas hit hard by Florence may face disruptions to ongoing cleanup efforts or renewed flooding depending on the track of the storm," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.

Michael is the seventh hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season.

Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Hurricane Sergio was spinning about 1,300 miles southwest of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. It's forecast to move toward the Baja this week and eventually make landfall as a tropical storm by week's end.

A separate storm system is forecast to drench the central U.S. in heavy rain on Monday. Flash flooding is possible in portions of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. </s> Hurricane Michael is strengthening as it races over the Gulf of Mexico approaching a landfall along Florida's Panhandle. Forecasters say deadly storm surge, catastrophic wind damage and heavy rainfall are imminent.The National Hurricane Center in Miami says the Category 4 storm has maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph) and is moving at 13 mph (20 kph). At 8 a.m., Michael was centered about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southwest of Panama City, with tropical storm force winds already lashing the coast.The hurricane center says Michael will be the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall on the Florida Panhandle.The unexpected brute that quickly sprang from a weekend tropical depression grew swiftly, rising in days to a catastrophic storm. Around midday it was expected to become one of the Panhandle's worst hurricanes in memory with heavy rainfall expected along the northeastern Gulf Coast and life-threatening storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters).Florida officials said roughly 375,000 people up and down the Gulf Coast had been urged or ordered to evacuate. Evacuations spanned 22 counties from the Florida Panhandle into north central Florida. But fears lingered that some failed to heed the calls to get out of Michael's way as the hard-charging storm began speeding north over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.Worried meteorologists said it had the potential of becoming one of the worst storms in the history of Florida's Panhandle."I guess it's the worst case scenario. I don't think anyone would have experienced this in the Panhandle," meteorologist Ryan Maue of weathermodels.com told The Associated Press. "This is going to have structure damaging winds along the coast and hurricane force winds inland."Cameras outside the International Space Station captured views of Hurricane Michael on Tuesday. The Hurricane is expected to make landfall in the Florida panhandle on Wednesday.University of Georgia's Marshall Shepherd, a former president of the American Meteorological Society, called it a "life-altering event" on Facebook and said he watched the storm's growth on satellite images with a pit growing in his stomach.Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith near the vulnerable coast said his deputies had gone door to door in some places urging people to evacuate. "We have done everything we can as far as getting the word out," Smith said. "Hopefully more people will leave."On the exposed coast of Florida's Big Bend, most of the waterfront homes in Keaton Beach stood vacant amid fears of a life-threatening storm surge in an area that hadn't seen a potentially catastrophic major hurricane in decades. Even so, 77-year-old resident Robert Sadousky wasn't quite ready to evacuate yet.The retired mill worker has spent more than half his life on the coast and weathered his share of storms. He chose the spot where his house stands on tall stilts overlooking the Gulf waters in 1972 after it was the only lot left dry after a storm flooded the beach that year.While most homes around him are vacation rentals or summer getaways for their owners, Sadousky had stayed put through more than four decades of storms. No longer. Michael was expected to bring surging seas up 9 feet (2.75 meters) above ground level at Keaton Beach."I know it's going to cover everything around here," Sadousky said Tuesday, eyeing water lapping at the edge of a canal behind his home. He pulled two small boat docks from the water, packed his pickup and picked some beans from his garden before getting out - like hundreds of thousands elsewhere."We don't know if it's going to wipe out our house or not," Jason McDonald, of Panama City, said as he and his wife drove north to safety into Alabama with their two children, ages 5 and 7. "We want to get them out of the way."Florida Gov. Rick Scott warned it was a "monstrous hurricane," and his Democratic opponent for the Senate, Sen. Bill Nelson, said a "wall of water" could cause destruction along the Panhandle."Don't think that you can ride this out if you're in a low-lying area," Nelson said on CNN.But some officials were worried by what they weren't seeing - a rush of evacuees."I am not seeing the level of traffic on the roadways that I would expect when we've called for the evacuation of 75 percent of this county," Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said.In the dangerously exposed coastal town of Apalachicola, population 2,500, Sally Crown planned to go home and hunker down with her two dogs."We've been through this before," she said. "This might be really bad and serious. But in my experience, it's always blown way out of proportion."Mandatory evacuation orders went into effect in Panama City Beach and other low-lying areas in the storm's path. That included Pensacola Beach but not in Pensacola itself, a city of about 54,000.Michael could dump up to a foot (30 centimeters) of rain over some Panhandle communities before its remnants go back out to sea by way of the mid-Atlantic states over the next few days. Forecasters said it also could bring 3 to 6 inches of rain to Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia, triggering flash flooding in a corner of the country still recovering from Florence. And isolated tornadoes were also possible. </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> With Hurricane Michael rapidly intensifying and threatening to smash Florida's Panhandle with dangerous storm surge, flooding and winds, Gov. Rick Scott didn't mince words on Monday night: "Making decisions tomorrow might be too late."

Described by Scott as both "monstrous" and "massive," Michael could make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of at least 111 mph, according to current projections. It's forecast to become a major hurricane sometime Tuesday and should make landfall Wednesday afternoon or evening, likely between Pensacola in the far western Panhandle and Apalachicola, directly south of Tallahassee on the coast.

"Michael could be one of the worst hurricanes to ever strike the Florida Big Bend and Florida Panhandle region," warned Weather Channel hurricane expert Rick Knabb.

Michael's maximum sustained winds increased to 90 mph on Monday night, the National Hurricane Center reported in its 11 p.m. EST update. A hurricane warning was in effect for the Alabama-Florida border to the Suwanee River, with a hurricane watch in place from the Alabama-Florida border to the Mississippi-Alabama border.

As of 11 p.m. Monday, Michael was centered about 455 miles south of Apalachicola, Florida, and 485 miles south of Panama City, Florida. It was moving north at 12 mph.

"Michael could produce three life-threatening hazards along portions of the northeastern Gulf Coast: storm surge, heavy rainfall and hurricane-force winds," according to the hurricane center.

Because of the storm surge threat, three Florida Panhandle counties issued mandatory evacuation orders. A storm surge of up to 12 feet is forecast for a large section of the Florida coast.

According to the hurricane center, one potential impact from a Category 3 hurricane is that "electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes."

A major hurricane is a Category 5, 4 or 3 hurricane, which has winds of at least 111 mph. If the forecast is correct, Michael would be the 11th major hurricane to hit Florida in October since records began in 1851, Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach said.

Scott declared an emergency in 35 counties and asked President Donald Trump for help. Florida State University announced it will close from Tuesday through Friday this week.

“Take this seriously and keep your family safe,” Scott said from Bay County on Monday. “We know that a storm like Michael can be devastating and deadly.”

Scott said 500 Florida National Guard members were activated for planning, logistics and response, and 5,000 stood at the ready.

"Do not take a chance on storm surge," Scott said. "This storm will be life-threatening and really dangerous. This is coming very fast."

Speaking Monday to the International Association of Chiefs of Police convention in Orlando, Trump urged residents to heed local warnings and pledged the federal government's support.

“Never ends, but we’re all prepared and hopefully it won’t be as bad as it’s looking,” Mr. Trump said. “It looked a couple of days ago like it was not going to be much, and now it’s looking like it could be a very big one, so we’re prepared. And good luck.”

In the popular tourist destination of Seaside, people were starting to feel nervous, said Kevin Boyle, the town's director of events.

"I think everyone has been caught off guard by how quickly this thing has grown. It's started to slow down and strengthen out there in the Gulf and now we are looking at the possibility of a major hurricane hitting us dead on," he said.

"It's kind of got us all on edge right now," Rachel Burke, general manger of Brass Tap Craft Beer Bar on Panama City Beach, said Monday afternoon.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency in her state, "in anticipation of widespread power outages, wind damage and debris produced by high winds and heavy rain associated with Hurricane Michael."

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee said: "This is a storm to definitely take very seriously. Storm preparations should be rushed to completion today and Tuesday."

After the storm moves inland, it could dump additional unwanted rain on the Carolinas, which were battered by Florence in September. "Areas hit hard by Florence may face disruptions to ongoing cleanup efforts or renewed flooding depending on the track of the storm," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.

Michael is the seventh hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Hurricane Michael strengthened into a Category 4 storm early Wednesday as it made a final approach to the northwestern Florida coastline before it arrives on land.

Michael will arrive as an "extremely dangerous" storm Wednesday afternoon with winds of 145 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in its 8 a.m. update Wednesday. Michael's location was about 90 miles southwest of both Panama City, Fla., and Apalachicola, Fla., the NHC said. It's moving north at 13 mph.

The NHC said Michael could still grow stronger before it reaches the Florida coast.

Forecasters predicted Michael would be a major hurricane -- Category 3 or stronger -- by the time it arrived Wednesday. Overnight Tuesday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott posted a series of tweets warning residents to prepare and evacuate.

"This is your last chance to evacuate before conditions start deteriorating within the next few hours," Scott wrote. "Storm surge can occur before, during, or after the center of a storm passes through an area. I'm asking all Floridians to stay vigilant throughout tonight and tomorrow as we brace for Hurricane Michael to make landfall."

Forecasters have warned that Michael's strength could be "catastrophic" for communities in its path -- anywhere from Pensacola on the western flank of the Florida Panhandle to Tampa. They said Michael could be the strongest hurricane to hit that stretch of coastline in 13 years.

Large waves are expected from Mexico Beach to Keaton Beach, where they could reach 9 to 13 feet in height. Storm surge could reach heights of 6 to 9 feet from the Okaloosa-Walton County line to Mexico Beach and from Keaton Beach to Cedar Key. Cedar Key to Chassahowitzka could see storm surge topping out between 4 to 6 feet. The areas from Chassahowitzka to Anna Maria Island and between the Alabama-Florida border and the Okaloosa-Walton county line could see 2 to 4 feet of storm surge.

The NHC forecasts 4 to 8 inches of rain for the Panhandle, southeast Alabama and parts of southwest and central Georgia. Isolated areas could get 12 inches and life-threatening flash floods.

After reaching land, Michael is expected to travel northeast at hurricane strength as it passes over Georgia. It will weaken into a tropical storm near the Carolinas and Virginia on its way back to the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters said. </s> A satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Michael off the U.S. Gulf Coast on Wednesday morning. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said the storm, which local forecasters are calling an ‘unprecedented’ weather event for the area, is expected to slam ashore on Wednesday with ’life-threatening’ storm surges.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Hurricane Michael has intensified into an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm as it bears down on the Florida Panhandle, which is bracing for extreme winds and flooding on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Michael is poised to make landfall on the Panhandle later Wednesday while pushing up to 13 feet of ocean water into the coast and drenching parts of three states in as much as a foot of rain. The storm was recently packing maximum-sustained winds of 140 miles an hour while tropical-storm conditions began spreading onshore.

Officials in 22 Florida counties ordered or urged residents to evacuate ahead of the storm, but it wasn’t known how many people heeded warnings to get out of harm’s way. Gov. Rick Scott cautioned that storm surge could reach above rooftops. “This storm is deadly. Do not take a chance,” he said Tuesday. The state is bracing for the second Category 4 storm in 13 months, after getting hit by Hurricane Irma last year. But Michael left the state much less time to prepare, surging from a tropical depression off the Mexico coast to a major hurricane in just two days. The storm could cause “catastrophic wind damage” where the center moves ashore, according to the hurricane center. The storm is expected to remain a hurricane into Georgia as it crosses through the Southeast. Michael poses the risk for significant storm surge along Florida’s Gulf coast
Tropical Storm Michael becomes Hurricane Michael and is upgraded to a category 1 storm.