Hurricane Michael, heading toward Florida, expected to become Category 4 storm

Hurricane Michael is expected to become a Category 4 storm before it makes landfall in either the Florida Panhandle or Florida Big Bend area midday Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said late Tuesday.

A Category 4 storm brings maximum sustained winds of at least 130 mph, and experts warn of dangerous storm surge. This could be the strongest storm to hit the region in 13 years, and state officials are urging all residents living in evacuation zones to leave.

Hurricane Michael, now about 220 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida, is moving north at 12 mph, a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 mph. After the storm makes landfall, it is expected to weaken as it moves across the southeastern United States.

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