Michael is a tropical storm this morning, churning through central and eastern Georgia on its way to the storm-weary Carolinas. But everyone is just now getting a sense of the destruction it brought to Florida. Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday as a powerful Category 4 storm with winds of 155 mph. It was the third-most powerful hurricane in history to hit the continental United States.
• At least two people are dead, untold numbers of homes and businesses have been destroyed and thousands are without power.
• The small coastal town of Mexico Beach, Florida, has been left in ruins.
• People who rode out the storm in their homes in Panama City saw their roofs fly away.
• Michael has been a monster storm unlike any other. CNN’s Holly Yan explains why.
• Michael’s strength may reflect the effect of climate change on storms. CNN’s John Sutter says it may be time to stop calling hurricanes “natural disasters.”
• You can track the storm here.
• If you have a weak phone connection, you can get text-only versions of top stories.
