Hurricane Michael, nearing Florida, is now an 'extremely dangerous' and 'life-threatening' Category 4 storm

Hurricane Michael nears Flordia
(Image credit: Screenshot/Twitter/CNN)

Hurricane Michael has become an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm, the National Hurricane Center said early Wednesday, projecting that it will make landfall near Panama City, Florida, Wednesday afternoon. A Category 4 hurricane has maximum sustained winds of at least 130 mph, and experts warn of a dangerous storm surge of up to 13 feet. Hurricane Michael is moving north at 12 mph, and it will be only the fourth major hurricane — Category 3 or higher — to hit the Florida Panhandle since 1950. "If you went to sleep eight hours ago thinking this storm was bad, you are waking up to find out it is catastrophic," said CNN's John Berman on Wednesday morning from Panama City.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.