Storm surge watch issued for Manatee as Hurricane Michael approaches Florida

A Tropical Storm Watch was issued early Monday for coastal Manatee County as Hurricane Michael approaches the Florida coast, according to the National Weather Service.

Manatee County and Anna Maria Island also were under a storm surge watch as of 6 a.m., and the storm surge watch stretches to Navarre.

The tropical storm watch stretches from Anna Maria Island to the Suwanee River.

Hurricane Michael was about 20 miles southwest of the western tip of Cuba and moving north at 7 mph, as of a 2 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center.

Michael is expected to move over the Florida panhandle or Big Bend area Wednesday.

Maximum sustained winds increased to 75 mph and forecasters expect Michael to continue to strengthen.

Michael was upgraded from a tropical storm to a hurricane at the 11 a.m. Monday update.

Hurricane force winds extend up to 30 miles from Michael’s center, while tropical storm force winds extend up to 175 miles.

A hurricane warning is in effect for part of Cuba and a hurricane watch was issued for the Alabama-Florida border to the Suwanee River.

A state of emergency was declared late Sunday afternoon by Florida Gov. Rick Scott, calling it a “life-threatening and extremely dangerous” storm.

This story was originally published October 8, 2018 at 8:05 AM.