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U.S. NEWS Monday 8 october 2018

Michael expected to gain hurricane

strength nearing Florida

By MIKE SCHNEIDER The storm is expected to A tropical storm warning
The Associated Press further strengthen into a was in effect for the Cu-
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Flor- hurricane by Monday night ban provinces of Pinar del
ida Gov. Rick Scott on Sun- or Tuesday as its center Rio and the Isle of Youth as
day warned that a tropi- moves over the Yucatan well as the coast of Mexico
cal storm headed for the Channel, crosses the Gulf from Tulum to Cabo Cato-
Florida Panhandle could of Mexico and nears the che. A warning indicates
become a Category 2 hur- Florida Panhandle coast tropical storm conditions
ricane with winds up to 100 sometime Wednesday. are expected, in this case,
miles per hour by the time it Forecasters advised resi- within 24 hours. The hurri-
makes landfall at midweek. dents along the northeast- cane center warned that
Scott issued an order for a ern and central U.S. Gulf the storm could produce a
state of emergency for 26 Coast to monitor the storm's foot (30 centimeters) of rain
counties in the Florida Pan- progress. in western Cuba, poten- This satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and
handle and the Big Bend The north Florida city of tially triggering flash floods Atmospheric Administration shows a view of Tropical Storm
area. The declaration will Tallahassee on Sunday and mudslides in mountain- Michael, lower right, churning as it heads toward the Florida
free up resources for storm opened two locations ous areas. q Panhandle, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, at 6:52 p.m. Eastern Time.
(NOAA via Associated Press)
preparation. where residents could get
"This storm will be life-threat- sandbags in case of flood-
ening and extremely dan- ing.
gerous," Scott said after "While the impacts are still
receiving a briefing at the uncertain, our area could
State Emergency Opera- experience increased wind
tions Center. activity and heavy rainfall,
The governor warned that which could cause local-
storm surge could affect ized flooding and downed
areas of Florida not in the trees," Tallahassee officials
storm's direct path. said in a statement.
"If this storm hit Panama Tallahassee Mayor Andrew
City, Tampa could still have Gillum, who is the Demo-
storm surge," said Scott, re- cratic nominee for gover-
ferring to two Florida cities nor, had planned to cam-
about 375 miles (600 kilo- paign in South Florida Mon-
meters) apart by highway. day and Tuesday, but he
"Every family must be pre- said he would return to Tal-
pared." lahassee to help with storm
Scott also activated 500 preparations.
members of the Florida Na- The city of Pensacola
tional Guard ahead of the tweeted to residents, "Be
storm. sure you have your emer-
The U.S. National Hurricane gency plan in place."
Center on Sunday upgrad- The storm was located by
ed Tropical Depression Mi- 7 p.m. ET Sunday about
chael to a named tropical 105 miles (170 kilometers)
storm, saying Michael ear- east-southeast of Cozumel,
lier had winds of up to 50 Mexico and moving to the
mph (85 kph). But within a north at about 5 mph (7
few hours it gained more kph). Tropical storm winds
strength and by Sunday extended out 170 miles
evening, it had top sus- (275 kilometers), primarily
tained winds of 60 mph (95 to the northeast and south-
kph). east of the storm's center.