Fast-moving Michael, just upgraded to a Category 2 Hurricane, is expected to make landfall in the Florida panhandle around noon on Wednesday before bringing tropical rainfall and gusty winds to the tristate area Thursday into Friday.
Located about 400 miles south of Panama City Tuesday morning, Michael is packing winds of 100 miles per hour and moving north-northwest at 12 mph.
In this area, heavy rainfall is possible Thursday into Thursday evening as a cold front approaches, and as a tropical moisture plume streams in from the south between offshore high pressure and Michael, the National Weather Service said in a Hazardous Weather Statement released early Tuesday morning.
Any thunderstorms that develop may also become capable of producing some isolated damaging wind gusts in the afternoon, the statement said.
After mostly cloudy and warm days Tuesday and Wednesday, with highs in the upper-70s both days, Thursday will start with showers arriving in the morning with thunderstorms moving in after 9 a.m. Up to three-quarters of an inch of rain is possible. Thursday's high will be in the mid- to upper-70s.
Showers could continue until early Friday afternoon as Michael will exit the coast of the Atlantic as the cold front pushes it out to sea.
The passage of the cold front will lead to a much cooler day Friday with a high in the low-60s. Saturday's high will only be in the upper-50s under mostly sunny skies.
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