Waves crash against a home seawall as the surge starts pushing the tide higher as Hurricane Michael approaches on October 9, 2018 in Eastpoint, Florida. The hurricane is forecast to hit the Florida Panhandle at a possible category 3 storm.

PANAMA CITY, United States (AFP) — Hurricane Michael intensified Tuesday as it barrelled toward the Florida coast, becoming a category 3 major storm as the governor of the southern US state warned residents to prepare immediately for a “monstrous” hit.

Michael was now packing winds of 120 miles per hour (195 kilometres per hour) as it aimed for the Florida panhandle, the finger-shaped strip of land on the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said the storm was expected to make landfall on Wednesday afternoon, bringing hurricane force winds, a “life-threatening storm surge” and heavy rainfall.

“Hurricane Michael is a monstrous storm and the forecast keeps getting more dangerous,” said Florida Governor Rick Scott, who has activated 2,500 members of the National Guard in response. “The time to prepare is now.

“Hurricane Michael poses a deadly threat,” Scott said, warning that it could be the “most destructive storm to hit the Florida panhandle in decades.”

Panama City Beach fire department chief Larry Couch urged residents to evacuate.

“If they decide to stay, there will be a point where we can’t get to them,” Couch said. “We will shut down operations at a certain point and when we do that, they’re on their own.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/UPDATE:_Hurricane_Michael_strengthens,_Florida_panhandle_braces