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Hurricane Michael, a potentially catastrophic Category 4 storm, churned toward the Florida Panhandle Wednesday as the state and its neighbors to the north braced for the impact.
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Florida Gov. Rick Scott said it is the worst storm the Panhandle has seen in a century. No hurricane of Category 4 strength has ever hit that area before.
The last Category 4 hurricane to strike the U.S. mainland was Hurricane Irma in Sept. 2017.
ABC NewsHere is what to expect and when
Wednesday:
— As of 11:30 a.m., Michael, with powerful winds of 150 mph, was 50 miles south to southwest of Panama City, moving north to northeast at 14 mph.
— Landfall is expected around 1 p.m. near Panama City or Mexico Beach.
ABC News— Life-threatening storm surge of up to 14 feet high, hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall are all imminent.
— Water levels are already quickly rising and winds are increasing along the Florida Panhandle.
— Storm surge of 5 feet was already reported in Apalachicola, Florida, Wednesday.
Thursday and after:
— Scott has warned of major flooding. Rainfall may reach 12 inches in Florida.
— Michael is forecast to move quickly through Georgia and into the Carolinas on Thursday. The Carolinas could see around 6 inches of rain.
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