The system just missed making landfall in the extreme western tip of Cuba and it it fully emerged in the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Michael is expected to continue intensifying further overnight and it will likely reach Category 2 by sunrise Tuesday.
The wind shear will continue to relax Tuesday allowing Michael to reach major category 3 status.
Michael intensifies a bit more at the 8 p.m. advisory, maximum sustained winds at 85 mph, and it moves to the north at 12 mph. The next complete advisory by the National Hurricane Center will be release at 11 p.m. Please check back for updates.
Really watching the storm surge threat with #Michael, normally dry areas near the coast between #CrystalRiver, #Florida to #IndianPass, Florida have the potential to see rising water heights to 8-12'. #WFTV #Florida #EyeOnTheTropics pic.twitter.com/Z0OBQpMLRk
— George Waldenberger (@GWaldenWFTV) October 8, 2018
Stay a step ahead of the storm with updates, live radar and the latest forecasts: Download the free WFTV Weather app.
Central #Florida is not expecting Hurricane force winds or even tropical storm force winds (5pm track). We'll have breezy to windy conditions Tuesday on, rainbands w/ embedded storms. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds.
— Irene Sans (@IreneSans) October 8, 2018
Read my full forecast: https://t.co/qxNoGPzfg9 pic.twitter.com/uHlNc6InKy
With Michael to the west, we'll have winds gusts over 30mph on Wednesday & Thursday. I'll be tracking it on Channel 9 at noon. pic.twitter.com/5JqChXGamj
— Brian Shields (@BrianWFTV) October 8, 2018
11 a.m. Update
Michael is officially a hurricane, strengthening as it makes its way toward the Florida panhandle.
The Category 1 storm is currently producing winds of 75 miles per hour.
The track of the storm has not changed: Michael is expected to make landfall on the panhandle on Wednesday. Central Florida could see some impacts, but the worst of the storm will stay west, said Channel 9 meteorologist Brian Shields.
MICHAEL IS NOW A HURRICANE: The track is the same - headed to the Florida Panhandle. A dangerous & life-threatening surge is expected in the Big Bend area. Damaging winds likely around FSU! pic.twitter.com/xjuwQNSFuB
— Brian Shields (@BrianWFTV) October 8, 2018
With Michael to the west, we'll have winds gusts over 30mph on Wednesday & Thursday. I'll be tracking it on Channel 9 at noon. pic.twitter.com/5JqChXGamj
— Brian Shields (@BrianWFTV) October 8, 2018
Stay a step ahead of the storm with updates, live radar and the latest forecasts: Download the free WFTV Weather app.
Florida State University announced Monday morning that its Tallahassee and Panama City campuses will be closed Tuesday and stay closed for the rest of the week.
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY TO CLOSE TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
— Florida State University (@floridastate) October 8, 2018
FSU Tallahassee and Panama City, FL campuses to close tonight (Monday) at 12:01 a.m. Visit: https://t.co/LxTBNwNzSa for official updates. pic.twitter.com/j5Gq54uhBD
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8 a.m. update
Michael remains a tropical storm, but is forecast to become hurricane later Monday.
It's expected to shift slightly west and make landfall Wednesday in the western portion of the Florida Panhandle.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph and is about 120 miles east-northeast of Cozumel, Mexico, and 70 miles south of Cuba’s western tip. It is moving north at 7 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
8am #Michael update: Still a tropical storm, but forecast to become a hurricane in the next 6 hours.
— Rusty McCranie (@RMcCranieWFTV) October 8, 2018
Pressure down to 982mb.
Forecast track shifted slightly west with landfall later half of Wednesday in the western panhandle. @WFTV pic.twitter.com/RQCJsyGsRt
1am: TS force winds extend 175miles from #Michael's center.
— Irene Sans (@IreneSans) October 8, 2018
It'll travel over the warm waters of #GulfofMexico, allowing for intensification. **Once** it gets picked up by the trough, it will speed up north-northeastward. Deadly storm surge forecast for #Florida's Panhandle. pic.twitter.com/Q88A5ZbGK3
Torrential rains to the western tip of Cuba will bring life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. Up to 12 inches of rain are forecast for this region of the Island. Rough seas will also affect the Western Caribbean during the start of the work week.
Under the current track, Central Florida can expect breezy conditions starting Tuesday evening through Thursday. Rain bands will sweep over Florida's Peninsula, mainly from south to north, some could be heavy at times.
See the 2018 Atlantic Season Names
Cox Media Group