PANAMA CITY, Florida (AP) — The storm surge from Hurricane Michael has come ashore and is growing deeper.
According to a National Hurricane Center update, a National Ocean Service water level station at Apalachicola reported over 4 feet (1 meter) of inundation above ground level by mid-morning Wednesday. Forecasters have said the hurricane could push up to 14 feet (4 meters) of ocean water ashore in Apalachicola, surging over normal tides.
Waves are already gnawing away at the base of sand dunes at Panama City Beach.
Officials are upset that holdouts will soon be surrounded by water. About 50 people resisted evacuating from St. George Island, and two people on Dog Island, which is only accessible by boat, also ignored evacuation orders. Franklin County emergency management coordinator Tress Dameron told The News Herald in Panama City that people who stayed better be wearing their life jackets.
Flooding along water street in #Apalachicola@WPTVpic.twitter.com/aLOl3nMCZh
— Meghan McRoberts (@MeghanWPTV) October 10, 2018
You see all that water? It’s not supposed to be there. This is at 8:20AM in Apalachicola. #HurricaneMichael@WPTVpic.twitter.com/CegrV8q8da
— Trey Herbert (@TreyHerbert) October 10, 2018
@WMBBTV Panama City FL .. Hathaway Bridge East ... look at the waves.. is that highway 98 ? pic.twitter.com/hcduTWqnmu
— Hal Newman (@BigMedicine) October 10, 2018
UPDATE: NOAA's #GOES16 shows the explosive energy of #HurricaneMichael, captured in this "sandwich loop" -- a combination of visible and infrared imagery -- this morning, Oct. 10, 2018. For the latest: @NHC_Atlanticpic.twitter.com/buK90DlITs
— NOAA Satellites PA (@NOAASatellitePA) October 10, 2018
