Hurricane Michael has hit the coast of Florida, bringing 155mph winds and a life-threatening storm surge of up to 13ft (4m).
The hurricane strengthened to a Category 4 storm, with wind speeds almost pushing the top-level Category 5 – with authorities warning that the “potentially catastrophic” cyclone will cause major damage.
“Our biggest concern is … the people that chose not to evacuate,” Mr Scott told CNN. Earlier, the governor warned of “unimaginable devastation” before the storm hit land.
“Hurricane Michael is forecast to be the most destructive hurricane to hit the Florida Panhandle in a century,” Mr Scott said. Donald Trump has said that “we are very well prepared” for impact.
Follow our liveblog below bringing you all the latest on Hurricane Michael.
The Independent is covering Hurricane Michael live again today.
The National Hurricane Centre's latest update says the storm is now Category 4 with maximum sustained winds of 130mph. Hurricane-force winds extend some 45 miles from the centre.
The agency said in its 1am update: "A northward motion is expected this morning, followed by a northeastward motion later today and Thursday. On the forecast track, the center of Michael will move across the northeastern Gulf of Mexico this morning.
"The centre of Michael's eye is then expected to move inland over the Florida Panhandle or Florida Big Bend area later today, move
northeastward across the southeastern US tonight and Thursday, and then move off the mid-Atlantic coast away from the
US on Friday."
northeastward across the southeastern US tonight and Thursday, and then move off the mid-Atlantic coast away from the
US on Friday."
And it warned that "additional strengthening" was possible before Michael makes landfall.
Florida governor Rick Scott has warned resident that time is running out for them to escape to safety.
Just hours beforehand, the NHC had said flooding from Michael could affect several states.
Michael's storm surge is already making itself felt in Florida.
The NHC has warned that in places the surge may reach 13ft (4m) above normal sea levels if it comes at high tide.
" The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline," it said in its 1am update.
In addition, some parts of Florida, Alabama and Georgia may see up to 8 inches of rain - with up to 1ft in isolated areas.
The National Weather Service has added its voice to calls for Floridians to evacuate before Michael hits the state.
It also provided a diagram of projected wind speeds.
As Michael passed Cuba yesterday it it dumped more than 10in (27cm) of rain in places, flooding fields, damaging roads, knocking out power and destroying some homes in the western province of Pinar del Rio.
Cuban authorities said they evacuated about 400 people from low-lying areas.
Officials have said that despite warnings of life-threatening floods and storm surges - and police officers going door-to-door to encourage people to flee - the number of people leaving parts of Florida in Michael's path is lower than expected.
"I am not seeing the level of traffic on the roadways that I would expect when we've called for the evacuation of 75 percent of this county," Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said.
In the dangerously exposed coastal town of Apalachicola, with a population of 2,500, Sally Crown planned to go home and hunker down with her two dogs.
"We've been through this before," she said. "This might be really bad and serious. But in my experience, it's always blown way out of proportion."
Florida governor Rick Scott has told people that this morning is their last chance to evacuate.
But he tweeted additional advice for people who planned to stay put:
And officials sent out a list of hurricane shelters that would be open for residents.
The National Weather Service has provided a graphic illustration of how dangerous storm surges can be - though it is less of a blockbuster than the CGI clips created by TV channels when Hurricane Florence was bearing down on the Carolinas last month.
Here, the National Hurricane Centre provides further details of where the surges are expected to hit.
Meteorologist Marc Weinberg shared this imagery of Michael churning off the coast of Florida.
A senior meteorologist has told how watching Hurricane Michael bear down on the US coast has given him a "sick feeling in my stomach".
Last night Marshall Shepherd, of the University of Georgia and a former president of the American Meteorological Society, tweeted that warnings about the storm's intensity were not "drama".
The NHC's latest update upgrading Michael to Category 4 contained "worrisome words", he added.
Such a storm has never hit Florida's panhandle region, another meteorologist said.
The last major hurricane to hit the area was Dennis in 2005, according to hurricane center data.
Hurricane Michael's maximum wind speed has strengthened to 140mph, the NHC says in its latest update. More to follow...
From the NHC's latest update:
• "Reports from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 140mph with higher gusts. Michael is an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale"
• Additional strengthening remains possible before landfall
• Tropical storm warning now in force as far north as Surf City, North Carolina, a barrier community which is still recovering from Hurricane Florence
• "Heavy rainfall from Michael could produce life-threatening flash flooding from the Florida panhandle and Big Bend region into portions of Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia"
• The worst storm surge is expected between Tyndall Air Force Base and Keaton Beach - up to 13ft
This is the NHC's latest imagery of the storm
The NHC has put out a handy map of where its various warnings are in force.
A reminder of what Donald Trump has said about Hurricane Michael.
He warned it could be "even more intense than Florence" but praised Floridians, saying "folks in the Pan Handle can take care of anything".
On Wednesday morning Florida governor Rick Scott issued a further warning: "Storm surge can occur before, during, or after the center of a storm passes through an area. I’m asking all Floridians to stay vigilant throughout tonight and tomorrow as we brace for Hurricane Michael to make landfall.
Trump warns Hurricane Michael is 'more intense' than Florence as storm barrels towards US
20 million people across five states are in the path of the stormAn early picture of Michael's effects include thundery conditions and a hit to energy production.
Some of the storm's most significant early impact was to offshore energy production. US producers in the Gulf cut oil production by about 40 per cent and natural gas output by 28 per cent on Tuesday, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said.
The region should brace for "major infrastructure damage", specifically to electricity distribution, wastewater treatment systems and transportation networks, Jeff Byard, associate administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told reporters on a conference call.
And one Twitter user in Panama City, FL, said: "Outer band of Hurricane Michael coming ashore here. Light rain and thunder has just begun. Winds should be picking up in the next couple of hours."
Winds as strong as Michael is producing can inflict substantial damage to roofs and walls of even well-constructed homes, according to the National Weather Service.
Additional reporting by Reuters
The NHC is providing hourly updates on Michael's progress. The storm is currently about 120 miles south-southwest of Panama City, FL, and moving north at 13mph.
Maximum sustained wind speed is still 140mph, the agency said.
Rainbands associated with the storm are currently sweeping the Florida panhandle region.
Georgia governor Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency for 92 counties in that state.
About 2,500 National Guard troops were deployed to assist with evacuations and storm preparations, and more than 4,000 others were on standby. Some 17,000 utility restoration workers were also on call.
The International Space Station has captured stunning footage of Hurricane Michael from orbit.
Additional reporting by agencies
