Powerful hurricane Michael heads for Florida - record heat in Montreal

NOAA image of hurricane Michael early Wednesday morning. The powerful category 4 hurricane is located 140 miles south of Panama City, Florida.

Warm and humid air has dominated the last 24 hours across southern Ontario and Quebec, including a record high for Montreal. The 50 year old record fell Tuesday afternoon, as the temperature reached 26.8C (80F), crushing the 1958 record of 25C (77F). High humidity made is feel like the low 30s as tropical air surged northward. Conditions remained very mild and muggy overnight, with the low temperature our current reading of 20C (68F). A cold front will slowly sag south this morning, with scattered showers and thunderstorms expected today, along with slowly falling temperatures. Much cold air will arrive Thursday as as stronger cold front crosses the St. Lawrence Valley.

Hurricane Michael
Powerful hurricane Michael is heading for the Florida panhandle this morning. The category 4 hurricane, with winds of 140mph (220km/h), is expected to make landfall near Panama City Beach, Florida by midday Wednesday. Millions of residents have been ordered to evacuate the coast in advance of the storm. Even in a state with a rich hurricane history such as Florida, this storm is historic. No category 4 hurricane has ever hit the Florida panhandle. Michael is located 140 miles south of Panama City early Wednesday morning, moving north at 13mph (20km/h). Widespread warnings are in effect across the Florida Gulf Coast and northward into Georgia and the Carolina's. Heavy rain, strong winds and a catastrophic storm surge in excess of 13 feet are expected along the coast where the center makes landfall. Flooding rains of up to 8 inches are forecast along the path of Michael. Scattered tornadoes are also expected as the storm moves inland. Widespread damage and power outages are anticipated in the Florida panhandle and adjacent Georgia.

Michael is expected to race northeast across the southeast US through Thursday and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean near Virginia Beach. At this time the storm is forecast to brush southern New England this weekend but remain offshore of Atlantic Canada.