The landfall intensity was estimated at 155 mph, which makes Michael the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the continental U.S. since Andrew in 1992.
Michael is still a Major Category 3 Hurricane as its center enters Georgia. Still catastrophic damage can be expected in the Florida Panhandle and southern Georgia. Forward speed is at 16 mph to the north-northeast. North Florida residents are still urged to stay in place as there are still destructive winds affecting the region. Heavy rain will also continue, driving through these conditions is deadly.
Across the current path of Michael, life-threatening winds and flooding will become more imminent over southern central Georgia. The Carolinas can expect life-threatening flooding with tropical storm-force winds.
Michael will continue to move mainly to the northeast and will emerge over water again, the Atlantic, early Friday, where it is expected to intensify as an extra tropical system and move away from land fast.
3:45 p.m. UPDATE:
2:40 p.m. UPDATE
Michael continues move inland over the Florida Panhandle and it will be crossing over to the Alabama/Georgia border within the next hour or so. Still Florida Panhandle residents are not done with the hurricane's effects. Very strong, destructive winds, over 100 mph expected to arrive near Tallahassee soon, as well as very deep storms, all associated with the eye wall.
Residents along southern and central Georgia are advice to stay put in there secure location during the afternoon hours as the storm travels over the region, likely still as a hurricane.
Michael is expected to weaken to a tropical storm once its center (or what is left of it) approaches the Carolinas, moving out to the Atlantic Ocean by late Thursday evening. A large swath of heavy rainfall is expected bring flash flooding from the Florida Panhandle to the Carolinas and Virginia.
1:38 p.m. UPDATE
Michael strengthens to 155 mph, makes landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida.
1:00 p.m. UPDATE
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Certified Meteorologist Rusty McCranie is in Cedar Key, Florida.
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11:00 a.m. UPDATE
Extremely dangerous Hurricane Michael is closing in on the coast of the Florida Panhandle.
The Category 4 storm is close to becoming a Category 5 hurricane, making it one of the most powerful hurricanes on record to hit the U.S. It will be the strongest to have hit the Panhandle. It's sustained winds have increased to nearly 150 mph. To become a Category 5 storm, wind speeds must exceed 156 mph.
The life-threatening storm surge from Hurricane Michael has already come ashore and is growing deeper.
According to a National Hurricane Center update, a National Ocean Service water level station at Apalachicola reported over 4 feet of inundation above ground level by mid-morning Wednesday.
14-foot storm surge is possible in Apalachicola, effects of the Michael plus the normal high tide.
Waves are already gnawing away at the base of sand dunes at Panama City Beach.
8:25 a.m. UPDATE
Hurricane Michael has become so powerful, that it is expected to remain a hurricane as it moves over central Georgia early Thursday.
The storm is strengthening as it races over the Gulf of Mexico approaching a landfall along Florida's Panhandle by Wednesday afternoon.
The Category 4 storm has maximum sustained winds of 145 mph and is moving at 13 mph, according to Channel 9 certified meteorologist Brian Shields.
Michael will be the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall on the Florida Panhandle and is poised to rank as one of the strongest to hit the U.S.
7:45 a.m. UPDATE
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is warning people in the path of massive Hurricane Michael that it's too late to evacuate.
In a tweet on Wednesday morning, Scott said "If you chose to state in an evacuation zone, you must SEEK REFUGE IMMEDIATELY."
Hurricane Michael grew into a Category 4 storm overnight, scientists say a storm this strong has never hit the Florida Panhandle.
Winds intensified to 145 mph early Wednesday.
[ Hurricane Michael: Scenes from Florida as the storm approaches ]
Meanwhile the Bay County Sheriff's Office warned residents that a "shelter-in-place" order has been issued, and urged everyone to stay off the roads. Sheriff's officials say deputies will continue to respond to calls for now, but that will change as the storm approaches the coastline.
5 a.m. UPDATE
The National Hurricane Center says Michael has become an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm.
Michael’s winds strengthened to 140 mph shortly before 5 a.m. Wednesday.
At 2:00 a.m. Wednesday, the eye of Michael was about 180 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida.
It also was about 170 miles southwest of Apalachicola, Florida. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles. Michael was expected to become one of the Panhandle's worst hurricanes in memory.
Video: Hurricane Michael approaches Florida Panhandle
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Pronóstico en español por Irene Sans, meteoróloga certificada