Michael, the tropical storm that’s been chugging toward the Florida panhandle, is now a hurricane, threatening to bring driving rain and high winds to the region’s agricultural and tourism industry.
While Gulf of Mexico oil platforms remain largely outside its path, Michael has the potential to become a major hurricane by late Tuesday as it races toward the Florida coastline. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the storm could generate a 12-foot surge, and at least eight inches of rain in the region.
