Michael Roars Ashore in Florida Nearing Cat 5 Status
*By Carlo Versano*
Hurricane Michael made landfall Wednesday as a monster Category 4 storm with winds near Category 5 status. In the process, it became the most powerful hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland in nearly 50 years.
Washington Post weather editor Jason Samenow told Cheddar Wednesday he was tracking confirmed gusts of 130 mph and was deeply concerned about the storm surge and the potential for flooding.
"We're far from done with this storm," he said.
Michael's eyewall came ashore near Mexico Beach, Fla., just outside Panama Beach on the Panhandle.
Even once the storm weakens over Florida, large areas of the southeast that are still recovering from Hurricane Florence will be at great risk of serious flooding. The saturated Carolinas could see three to six inches of rain, and the winds will expand as the storm unwinds.
Reports of damage in the Panhandle area were beginning to come in as of Wednesday afternoon. Hours after the official landfall, the storm has not weakened substantially.
Although Michael is the second major hurricane to make U.S. landfall in roughly one month, Samenow said, "This has been a fairly normal hurricane season."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/all-eyes-on-hurricane-michael).
Heavy rainfall flooded parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, with two communities declaring a state of emergency as water poured into homes, creating moats around their foundations and leading to boat rescues of residents. Concern about a dam listed in poor condition led to more evacuations.
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Hurricane Lee, still a Category 3 storm with winds of 115 mph, is expected to increase in size but be significantly weaker in the coming days, as it turns north to reach the U.S. East Coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The U.S. approved updated COVID-19 vaccines Monday, hoping to rev up protection against the latest coronavirus strains and blunt any surge this fall and winter.
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Hurricane Lee whipped up waves of more than 15 feet (5 meters) on Monday as the Category 3 storm cranked through open waters just north of the Caribbean region.
