Michael Poised To Slam Florida Panhandle As Major Hurricane

By Brian Eckhouse – Bloomberg

Michael is strengthening as it heads toward Florida, forecast to become the second hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. in a month.

The fast-moving storm has already shut in some oil and natural-gas production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and sent cotton prices to a one-week high. Michael is expected to skirt the eastern Gulf before making landfall on the Florida panhandle. Currently a Category 1 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, it could increase to a 2 or 3 by the time it reaches the U.S. on Wednesday.

“Steady to rapid strengthening is forecast during the next day or so, and Michael is forecast to become a major hurricane by Tuesday or Tuesday night,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.

The storm could generate a 12-foot surge, and 4-8 inches of rain in the region, with isolated areas getting as much as 12 inches. Michael is arriving after Florence hit North Carolina on Sept. 14, causing devastating floods, killing at least 39 and causing about $45 billion in estimated damages. Duke Energy Corp. warned customers in the region to prepare for potential outages.

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