5AM NHC UPDATE:

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN PART OF CUBA. HURRICANE WATCHES ARE UP FROM FL/AL BORDER DOWN TO SUWANNEE RIVER, FL

WINDS ARE NOW UP TO 70MPH, PRESSURE 983MB

NHC IS FORECASTING MICHAEL TO BECOME A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE BEFORE LANDFALL.

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So as we see it during the past 18 hours the NHC is gradually coming round to the idea what the models have been saying for the past couple of days which is that this will not be a tropical storm or low end hurricane but a major hurricane.