Local

Gulf Coast residents feel punch of Hurricane Hermine

CARRABELLE, Fla. — Winds are picking up as Hurricane Hermine gets closer to land in the panhandle.

By 9:45 p.m., winds had intensified and the water levels were rising.

In the town of Panacea on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the winds were fierce, roads were flooded and homes were surrounded by water.

“You can see where the boat went the dock a little bit,” said resident Art Pfeiffer.

Pfeiffer has been through storms before and he’s planning to ride this one out Thursday night and Friday, even though the storm is bearing down on his area.

“Flooding around houses, but you’re going to see more in a little while, it’s going to get worse. This is insane out here,” said resident Kay Gay.

Inland, in Tallahassee, the day started calm, but people weren’t taking any chances.

“I expect a lot of rain, so we’re just trying to prepare for it,” said Leon County resident Harold Barber.

But on the coast, the impact was clearer as the storm got closer.

By early evening, water was crashing over sea walls and rising past docks.

Some people in Panacea evacuated.

“If you could see this on a normal day, there’s no water here. It’s out and it’s going to get worse. The worst is yet to come,” said Panacea resident Tracey Guy.

The biggest concern for people with homes near the water is the storm surge.

That’s on top of strong winds that may knock out power.

STORY: Schools preparing for Tropical Storm Hermine