iStock/Thinkstock(PANAMA CITY, Fla.) — Hurricane Michael — a Category 3 hurricane — churned toward the Florida Panhandle Tuesday as the state and its neighbors braced for the impact.

Here is what to expect and when

Tuesday:

— Michael was 310 miles south/southwest of Apalachicola, Florida, on Tuesday afternoon, with the eye of the storm moving over the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

— The storm itself is about 400 miles wide.

— Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Tuesday declared a state of emergency for 92 of his state’s counties, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in 35 counties.

— In Alabama, where residents may see massive power outages, high winds and heavy rain, Gov. Kay Ivey declared a statewide emergency.

Wednesday:

— Landfall is forecast for around 1 p.m. Wednesday near Panama City, with winds possibly reaching 125 mph. (A Category 4 hurricane is 130 mph).

— Storm surge could reach a deadly 12 feet, Gov. Scott warned. “You cannot hide from storm surge,” he said at a news conference Tuesday. “This storm can kill you.”

— Rainfall could reach 12 inches in the Florida Panhandle and up to 6 inches in the Carolinas.

— Warnings are in effect for more than 300 miles of coastline, the National Weather Service said.

Thursday and after:

— Michael is forecast to stay a tropical storm as it moves through Georgia and into the Carolinas on Thursday.

— The storm is expected to move further inland later in the week, potentially bringing rain and heavy wind to portions of South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.

 

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