*By Carlo Versano* Tropical Storm Michael moved rapidly northeast over Georgia and the Carolinas on Thursday after coming ashore as an unprecedented Category 4 on the Florida Panhandle a day earlier and doing severe damage to coastal cities like Panama Beach. But the biggest fears of potentially catastrophic storm surge did not appear to have been realized. Sarah Rosario, a reporter for the local CBS affiliate in St. Petersburg, Fla., told Cheddar from Crystal River that the waters there had receded, and "things are looking much better." Up north on the panhandle, though, the damage was more severe. At least two people are dead and hundreds of thousands remain without power after Michael made a direct hit on the region. "This is the biggest storm that area has seen ever," Rosario noted. "It came out of nowhere." The focus now turns to flooding in the southeast, where the ground remains saturated with rainwater from last month's Hurricane Florence. Michael is expected to quickly move north toward Virginia before exiting back into the Atlantic as a post-tropical system. Michael is the [fourth](https://twitter.com/chrisdolcewx/status/1050348660339412992) Category 4 storm to hit the U.S. in 14 months. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/hurricane-michael-hits-florida).

Share:
More In Culture
Anxious Overthinker? Time To Try a Brain Dump
If you have noisy and overwhelming thoughts in your head, you might want to try a brain dump. A brain dump is the physical act of untangling your brain and getting all your thoughts, anxieties, fears, ideas, errands, and complaints in one place. It might sound daunting, but it's easier and more rewarding than you'd think. People who have tried a brain dump for just one week have actually reported an easier time focusing, a clearer head, and an easier time staying organized on day to day tasks. Dr. Marsha Brown, a forensic and clinical psychologist, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Winter Olympics: Sports, Politics, and COVID
The Winter Olympics is slowly winding down with a lot of competition left. Boston Globe Reporter Nicole Yang, joined Cheddar to discuss more on what we can expect to see and some of the hiccups surrounding the games this year.
President Biden Unveils New Sanctions Against Russia
Within hours of Russia's first attack on Ukraine, President Joe Biden addressed the nation by stating that the White House will impose wider sanctions on Russian banks. These sanctions could result in damage to the Russian economy. Host of "Oh My World" on Youtube and Former Spokesperson for the U. S. Mission to the U. N. Hagar Chemali, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Leafly CEO on Big 2021 Cannabis Jobs Growth, Looking Ahead to NJ, NY Adult Use
Even amid the Great Resignation, the cannabis industry saw major job growth. As of January 2022, the legal industry supported more than 428,000 jobs — a 33 percent increase year-over-year, according to the sixth annual jobs report from Leafly, a website focused on cannabis use and education. Yoko Miyashita, CEO of Leafly, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. “You know we've got big moments coming ahead in New Jersey and New York with adult-use sales starting in New Jersey, hopefully by this fall, with New York quickly to follow," she said. "So we're hugely optimistic about the kind of job growth that those markets can drive with the right type of market setup.
Load More