Michael projected to hit Florida Panhandle on Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane or stronger

Hurricane Michael is currently a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of up to 90 miles per hour, battering western Cuba with heavy rain and winds as it gains speed, but the U.S. National Hurricane Center expects Michael to be a major hurricane by the time it hits the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend area on Wednesday. That means a category 3 Hurricane or stronger, with sustained winds of at least 111 mph. Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) called Michael a "monstrous hurricane," and he's declared a state of emergency for 35 counties and activated the National Guard. Along with the winds and heavy rains, part of the Big Bend area could see storm surges of up to 12 feet.

Parts of the Florida Panhandle are under mandatory evacuation. "If you decide to stay in your home and a tree falls on your house or the storm surge catches you and you're now calling for help, there's no one that can respond to help you," Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said at a news conference on Monday. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, the Democratic nominee to replace Scott — who himself is running for Senate — was filling sandbags with residents on Monday. "Today it is about life and safety," Gillum said. "There's nothing between us and this storm but warm water and I think that's what terrifies us about the potential impacts."

Michael is projected to cross from northern Florida to Georgia and North and South Carolina before returning to the Atlantic. The Carolinas are still recovering from Hurricane Florence, but Michael will likely weaken to a winter tropical storm by the time it leaves Florida.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up