Hurricane Michael may be the worst storm to ever hit the Florida panhandle, warns FEMA chief

President Trump discusses Hurricane Michael with the Homeland Security Secretary and FEMA Administrator.
(Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Hurricane Michael has made landfall in Florida — and it's looking to be a historically powerful storm.

Brock Long, the administrator of FEMA, told President Trump on Wednesday that Michael looks to be the most intense storm the Florida panhandle has seen in 167 years, calling it a "Gulf Coast hurricane of the worst kind," per CNN. There have been no recorded instances of a Category 4 hurricane hitting the Florida panhandle going back to 1851, per The Washington Post. But Michael is a Category 4 and just a few miles per hour away from being a Category 5, USA Today reports.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.