Here is the latest from the National Hurricane Center:
SUMMARY OF 100 AM CDT…0600 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…27.7N 86.6W
ABOUT 180 MI…290 KM SSW OF PANAMA CITY FLORIDA
ABOUT 170 MI…275 KM SW OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…130 MPH…210 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…N OR 355 DEGREES AT 12 MPH…19 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…945 MB…27.91 INCHESAt 100 AM CDT (0600 UTC), the center of Hurricane Michael was located near latitude 27.7 North, longitude 86.6 West. Michael is moving toward the north near 12 mph (19 km/h). A northward motion is expected this morning, followed by a northeastward motion later today and Thursday. On the forecast track, the center of Michael will move across the northeastern Gulf of Mexico this morning. The center of Michael’s eye is then expected to move inland over the Florida Panhandle or Florida Big Bend area later today, move northeastward across the southeastern United States tonight and Thursday, and then move off the Mid-Atlantic coast away from the United States on Friday.
Data from Air Force Reserve and NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 130 mph (210 km/h) with higher gusts. Michael is now a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some additional strengthening is possible today before Michael makes landfall in the
Florida Panhandle or the Florida Big Bend area. Weakening is expected after landfall as Michael moves across the southeastern United States.Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km).
The minimum central pressure estimated from Air Force Hurricane Hunter data is 945 mb (27.91 inches).
In short, Hurricane Michael is now a Category 4 Hurricane drifting to the north at about 12 mph toward the Florida panhandle. It will bring life-threatening weahter conditions to most of the Florida panhandle.
People on Twitter are doing a great job at sharing valuable science info about Michael…
This very nicely matches the recent evolution of #Michael on #GOES16 satellite showing that the mesovort is associated with substantial inner core #lightning & a convective burst propagating cyclonically around the eyewall.
Mesmerizing. pic.twitter.com/PxqL792uqR
— Philippe Papin (@pppapin) October 10, 2018
Check out the evolution of #Michael's core over the past 24 hours via microwave satellite– from a fairly ragged looking cat 1 to a well defined, intense cat 4. Pressure dropped from 973mb – 945 mb, winds increased from 90 mph to 130 mph over this time span. pic.twitter.com/VdOXSx3abG
— Jim Dickey (@WxDickey) October 10, 2018
Two of the best short range hurricane models – HWRF and HMON – show additional, rapid intensification, with pressure deepening below 930mb and winds approaching Cat 5 intensity near Panama City.#Michael will be the strongest hurricane to ever hit the Florida panhandle. #FLwx
— Josh Johnson (@JoshWeather) October 10, 2018
There has NEVER been a recorded Cat 4 or 5 within 50 miles of Panama City. #Michael is scary bad news. pic.twitter.com/fmEp50XQMz
— Matt Mackie (@MackieMet) October 10, 2018
