Residents of Florida’s northern gulf coast are facing one of the most serious weather events in decades, as Hurricane Michael continues to gather strength over the Gulf of Mexico.
Yesterday evening Michael's peak winds rose to 125mph, The US National Hurricane Centre reports, and the storm was “getting much better organised” and is now forecast “to be near Category 4 strength when it makes landfall.”
Florida’s Panhandle, “from Pensacola to Apalachicola, and its Big Bend area” are the “zones of greatest concern”, The Washington Post says, as the storm continues to move north at around 12mph.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The “lightly populated Big Bend area” — the crook of Florida's elbow — “could see up to 12 feet [3.5 metres] of storm surge”, the LA Times says.
More than 140,000 people are already under mandatory evacuation orders, with the storm expected to make landfall around midday today local time, leaving local residents with minimal time to secure their homes against the storm before leaving the area.
Oil prices surged briefly as news of Hurricane Michael’s strengthening threatened a number of oil and gas fields operating in the Gulf of Mexico.
The storm is currently tracking away from the area with the greatest oil and gas production density – however, industry website oilprice.com reports that the hurricane currently has the potential to limit oil production by more than 320,000 barrels per day.
-
Britain's giant rat problemRising infestation reports and increased sightings of oversized rats have caused concerns about waste management in some areas
-
The Week Unwrapped: Has Donald Trump secured his Nobel Peace Prize?Podcast Plus, what does the use of North Korean and Indian labour tell us about the Russian war economy? And why have we all gone crazy for pickles?
-
Hurricanes are not exclusive to Earth. They can happen in space.Under the radar These storms may cause navigational problems
-
Tuvalu is being lost to climate change. Other countries will likely follow.Under the Radar Sea level rise is putting islands underwater
-
The bacterial consequences of hurricanesUnder the radar Floodwaters are microbial hotbeds
-
Climate change is threatening Florida's Key deerThe Explainer Questions remain as to how much effort should be put into saving the animals
-
Floridians flee oncoming Hurricane MiltonSpeed Read The hurricane is expected to cause widespread damage in the state
-
An iconic ship is being turned into the world's largest artificial reefUnder the Radar The SS United States will be sunk off the coast of Florida if all goes to plan
-
Hurricane Helene storms Florida's Big BendSpeed Read Helene is among the biggest hurricanes to ever strike the Gulf Coast
-
The first US species has been driven to extinction due to sea level riseThe Explainer The cactime is up
-
What climate change means for Florida's futureSpeed Read "The tide is coming in"
