Gerald Herbert, The Associated PressFirefighter Austin Schlarb performs a door to door search in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018.
Gerald Herbert, The Associated PressRescue personnel search amidst debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018.
Brendan Smialowski , AFPA woman and her children wain near a destroyed gas station after Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Florida on October 10, 2018. - Michael slammed into the Florida coast on October 10 as the most powerful storm to hit the southern US state in more than a century as officials warned it could wreak "unimaginable devastation." Michael made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Mexico Beach, a town about 20 miles (32kms) southeast of Panama City, around 1:00 pm Eastern time (1700 GMT), the National Hurricane Center said. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesKathy Coy stands among what is left of her home after Hurricane Michael destroyed it on Oct. 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. She said she was in the home when it was blown apart and is thankful to be alive. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesAmanda Logsdon begins the process of trying to clean up her home after the roof was blown off by the passing winds of hurricane Michael on Oct. 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesAmanda Logsdon begins the process of trying to clean up her home after the roof was blown off by the passing winds of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Douglas R. Clifford, Tampa Bay Times via APEmergency workers Dr. Patricia Cantrell, left, and Ana Kaufmann, with the South Florida Search and Rescue Task Force 2, survey damage at the western edge of town in Mexico Beach, Fla., after Hurricane Michael swept through the area Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018.
Joe Raedle, Getty Images(L-R) Comeasha Stanley, Ramari Stanley and Terrell Atkinson stand near a heavily damaged apartment after Hurricane Michael passed through the area on Oct. 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesPeople walk past an apartment destroyed by Hurricane Michael on Oct. 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesGavin Conklin, 17, gathers water bottles from a neighbor's refrigerator after Hurricane Michael destroyed the home on Oct. 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Brendan Smialowski , AFPA view of a hotel room with a collapsed wall in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. - Residents of the Florida Panhandle woke to scenes of devastation Thursday after Michael tore a path through the coastal region as a powerful hurricane that killed at least two people. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Gerald Herbert, The Associated PressKaylee O'Brian weeps inside her home after several trees fell on it during Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018.
Pedro Portal, Miami Herald via APHaley Nelson inspects damages to her family properties in the Panama City, Fla., spring field area after Hurricane Michael made landfall in Florida's Panhandle on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. Supercharged by abnormally warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle with terrifying winds of 155 mph Wednesday, splintering homes and submerging neighborhoods before continuing its march inland.
Brendan Smialowski , AFPA man walks past storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. - Residents of the Florida Panhandle woke to scenes of devastation Thursday after Michael tore a path through the coastal region as a powerful hurricane that killed at least two people. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Emily KASK , AFPA destroyed storage unit for a hotel in Panama City Beach, Florida, in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 11, 2018. - Residents of the Florida Panhandle woke to scenes of devastation Thursday after Michael tore a path through the coastal region as a powerful hurricane that killed at least two people. EMILY KASK/AFP/Getty Images
CHRISTOPHE SIMON , AFPTOPSHOT - The wreckage of a car where two victims have been found is seen on the beach of Roquebrune-sur-Argens after severe rainstorms led to floods on Oct. 11, 2018 southern France. CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesKristasia Crawford and Tammy Crawford stand in front of their home that is covered with fallen trees and was heavily damaged by the passing winds of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Brendan Smialowski , AFPTOPSHOT - Storm damage is seen after Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Florida on October 10, 2018. - Michael slammed into the Florida coast on October 10 as the most powerful storm to hit the southern US state in more than a century as officials warned it could wreak "unimaginable devastation." Michael made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Mexico Beach, a town about 20 miles (32kms) southeast of Panama City, around 1:00 pm Eastern time (1700 GMT), the National Hurricane Center said. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Gerald Herbert, The Associated PressPeople cut away a tree that'll on a vehicle in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018.
Brendan Smialowski , AFPCharles Swaney (L) sits in a motel office after Hurricane Michael October 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. - Michael slammed into the Florida coast on October 10 as the most powerful storm to hit the southern US state in more than a century as officials warned it could wreak "unimaginable devastation." Michael made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Mexico Beach, a town about 20 miles (32kms) southeast of Panama City, around 1:00 pm Eastern time (1700 GMT), the National Hurricane Center said. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Mark Wallheiser, Getty ImagesPeople look on at a damaged store after Hurricane Michael passed through on Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. Michael made landfall at Mexico Beach today a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, the most powerful storm ever to hit the Florida Panhandle.
Mark Wallheiser, Getty ImagesEmergency crews representing close to 100 various agencies work in the Florida Emergency Center control center on Oct. 10, 2018 in Tallahassee, Florida. The hurricane is forecast to hit the Florida Panhandle at a possible category 4 storm.
Gerald Herbert, The Associated PressA storm chaser climbs into his vehicle during the eye of Hurricane Michael to retrieve equipment after a hotel canopy collapsed in Panama City Beach, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018.
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesChuck Cummins is blown around by the winds as he takes shelter in a parking garage as Hurricane Michael passes through the area on Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane made landfall on the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Gerald Herbert, The Associated PressEarnest Sweet sits while his daughters Terri, 4, center, and Anna, 7, sleep at an evacuation shelter set up at Rutherford High School, in advance of Hurricane Michael, which is expected to make landfall today, in Panama City Beach, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018.
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesAn American flag flies from a broken flag pole after hurricane Michael passed through the downtown area on Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesMike Lindsey stands in his antique shop after the winds from hurricane Michael broke the windows in his shop on Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesPeople walk past damaged stores after hurricane Michael passed through the downtown area on Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
Joe Raedle, Getty ImagesBoats that were docked are seen in a pile of rubble after hurricane Michael passed through the downtown area on Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm.
ouglas R. Clifford, Tampa Bay Times via APThe Oceanis is grounded by a tidal surge at the Port St. Joe Marina, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Port St. Joe, Fla. Supercharged by abnormally warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle with terrifying winds of 155 mph Wednesday, splintering homes and submerging neighborhoods.
HO , NOAA/RAMMB / AFPThis NOAA/RAMMB satellite image taken on October 10, 2018 at 09:00 UTC shows Hurricane Michael off the US Gulf Coast. - Hurricane Michael closed in on Florida's Gulf Coast on October 10, 2018 as an "extremely dangerous" category four storm packing powerful winds and a huge sea surge, US forecasters said.The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said the storm, which local forecasters are calling an "unprecedented" weather event for the area, is expected to slam ashore later in the day with "life-threatening" storm surges. (Photo by HO / NOAA/RAMMB / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTSHO/AFP/Getty Images
Gerald Herbert, The Associated Press
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Firefighter Austin Schlarb performs a door to door search in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018.
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By Amy Brothers | abrothers@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
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PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Supercharged by abnormally warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday with potentially catastrophic winds of 155 mph, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S. mainland.
Michael came ashore near Mexico Beach, a tourist town about midway along the Panhandle, a lightly populated, 200-mile stretch of white-sand beach resorts, fishing towns and military bases.