The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office issued a fake "no trespassing" notice for The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore ahead of Hurricane Michael.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office has a playful message for The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore: Stay away from here.

As the Panhandle braces for a serious storm with Hurricane Michael, the law enforcement agency took a friendly jab at the meteorologist who has a reputation for being the one guy you really don't want to see when there's a weather disaster in your area.

More: Hurricane Michael forces cruise ships on Western Caribbean itineraries to reroute

The SRSO turned to Facebook to issue a fake trespass warning for Cantore. The warning — complete with photos and a physical description of the weather man — identifies Cantore as a "person of interest" and adds that the SRSO would prefer he make "non-business related visits only" and "winter months preferred."

"Everyone know what's in store when Jim Cantore shows up. So we issued a little notice," reads the SRSO Facebook post, which had been shared more than 7,200 times as of 9 p.m. Monday.

The Sheriff's Office makes it clear the trespassing warning isn't real, adding a line at the bottom of the warning that reads, "This is not a real trespass. We like Jim, just not under these conditions."

Jokes aside, officials are cautioning Panhandle residents to brace for a massive storm as Hurricane Michael approaches the Gulf Coast.

The hurricane could pick up speed Tuesday and start affecting the Gulf Coast before making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday.</s>Michael is expected to strengthen rapidly before hitting the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday, packing winds of at least 100mph (160 km per hour), the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. The hurricane could make landfall as a Category 3 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale and bring 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 cm) of rain with life-threatening flash flooding, according to forecasters. Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency in 26 counties along the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend. Mr Scott advised Gulf Coast residents to prepare for possible evacuation orders, and he has put more than 5,000 National Guard soldiers on alert.

In a tweet, he said: "Families should take the opportunity TODAY to make sure they have three days of food and water, as well as all needed medications. "EVERY FAMILY must be prepared. We can rebuild your home, but we cannot rebuild your life." He warned residents the dangerous storm surge could hit parts of Florida not directly in the storm’s path. Florida State University said its campuses in Tallahassee and Panama City will be closed from Tuesday through Friday. BP Plc and Exxon Mobil Corp on Monday began evacuating personnel from Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production platforms.

Candidates in the upcoming midterm elections have suspended campaigning to focus on preparing for the storm. Michael has already battered parts of Mexico and Cuba with powerful winds and heavy rain hitting on Sunday and the early hours of Monday. After hitting Florida, the storm is forecast to move northeast on Wednesday and Thursday along the Atlantic Coast and batter the Carolinas, which are still recovering from Hurricane Florence last month. Evacuation orders are yet to be issued with coastal counties closely monitoring Michael and in talks with officials from the National Weather Service. During a briefing on Hurricane Michael, Mr Scott said: “Take this seriously and keep your family safe. “We know that a storm like Michael can be devastating and deadly.”</s>TROPICAL storm Michael strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane on Monday as it barrelled toward the US Gulf Coast packing maximum sustained winds of 120km per hour, meteorologists said.

The weather system was located between Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula and the west coast of Cuba and was heading slowly towards the northern Gulf Coast of Florida, the National Hurricane Centre in Miami said.

It is expected to be a major Category 3 hurricane by the time it hits Florida on Wednesday, before moving northeast across the southeastern United States through until Thursday.

“#Michael could produce three life-threatening hazards along portions of the northeastern Gulf Coast: storm surge, heavy rainfall, and hurricane-force winds, with storm surge and hurricane watches in effect,” the National Hurricane Centre said on Twitter.

“Residents in these areas should follow advice given by local officials.”

Heavy rainfall from Michael could produce “life-threatening flash flooding,” the National Hurricane Centre said, from the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region into portions of the Carolinas through until Thursday.

The first rains from Michael were already beginning to soak the Florida Keys on Monday, with up to 10 centimetres expected to fall through until Tuesday.

“This morning I met with local officials and emergency management professionals in Bay County in preparation for Hurricane Michael,” Governor Scott tweeted.

“I will be in Pasco County this afternoon to give another briefing. [Florida] families need to get ready for this storm RIGHT NOW.”

The Carolinas are on the long recovery from Hurricane Florence, which left dozens dead and is estimated to have caused billions of dollars in damage last month.

It made landfall on the coast as a Category 1 hurricane on September 14 and drenched some parts of the state with one metre of rain.

Last year saw a string of catastrophic storms batter the West Atlantic — including Irma, Maria and Hurricane Harvey — causing a record-equalling $US125 billion ($A177 billion) in damages when it flooded the Houston metropolitan area.

For this hurricane season, the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasting service and Britain’s Met Office predict between five and nine storms of Category 3 or stronger.

Scientists have long warned that global warming will make cyclones more destructive, and some say the evidence for this may already be visible.

At their most fearsome, these low-pressure weather fronts pack more power than the energy released by the atomic bomb that levelled Hiroshima.

“EVERY FAMILY must be prepared. We can rebuild your home, but we cannot rebuild your life,” Governor Scott added.</s>With Hurricane Michael rapidly intensifying and threatening to smash Florida's Panhandle with dangerous storm surge, flooding and winds, Gov. Rick Scott didn't mince words on Monday night: "Making decisions tomorrow might be too late."

Described by Scott as both "monstrous" and "massive," Michael could make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of at least 111 mph, according to current projections. It's forecast to become a major hurricane sometime Tuesday and should make landfall Wednesday afternoon or evening, likely between Pensacola in the far western Panhandle and Apalachicola, directly south of Tallahassee on the coast.

"Michael could be one of the worst hurricanes to ever strike the Florida Big Bend and Florida Panhandle region," warned Weather Channel hurricane expert Rick Knabb.

Michael's maximum sustained winds increased to 90 mph on Monday night, the National Hurricane Center reported in its 11 p.m. EST update. A hurricane warning was in effect for the Alabama-Florida border to the Suwanee River, with a hurricane watch in place from the Alabama-Florida border to the Mississippi-Alabama border.

As of 11 p.m. Monday, Michael was centered about 455 miles south of Apalachicola, Florida, and 485 miles south of Panama City, Florida. It was moving north at 12 mph.

"Michael could produce three life-threatening hazards along portions of the northeastern Gulf Coast: storm surge, heavy rainfall and hurricane-force winds," according to the hurricane center.

Because of the storm surge threat, three Florida Panhandle counties issued mandatory evacuation orders. A storm surge of up to 12 feet is forecast for a large section of the Florida coast.

According to the hurricane center, one potential impact from a Category 3 hurricane is that "electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes."

A major hurricane is a Category 5, 4 or 3 hurricane, which has winds of at least 111 mph. If the forecast is correct, Michael would be the 11th major hurricane to hit Florida in October since records began in 1851, Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach said.

Scott declared an emergency in 35 counties and asked President Donald Trump for help. Florida State University announced it will close from Tuesday through Friday this week.

“Take this seriously and keep your family safe,” Scott said from Bay County on Monday. “We know that a storm like Michael can be devastating and deadly.”

Scott said 500 Florida National Guard members were activated for planning, logistics and response, and 5,000 stood at the ready.

"Do not take a chance on storm surge," Scott said. "This storm will be life-threatening and really dangerous. This is coming very fast."

Speaking Monday to the International Association of Chiefs of Police convention in Orlando, Trump urged residents to heed local warnings and pledged the federal government's support.

“Never ends, but we’re all prepared and hopefully it won’t be as bad as it’s looking,” Mr. Trump said. “It looked a couple of days ago like it was not going to be much, and now it’s looking like it could be a very big one, so we’re prepared. And good luck.”

In the popular tourist destination of Seaside, people were starting to feel nervous, said Kevin Boyle, the town's director of events.

"I think everyone has been caught off guard by how quickly this thing has grown. It's started to slow down and strengthen out there in the Gulf and now we are looking at the possibility of a major hurricane hitting us dead on," he said.

"It's kind of got us all on edge right now," Rachel Burke, general manger of Brass Tap Craft Beer Bar on Panama City Beach, said Monday afternoon.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency in her state, "in anticipation of widespread power outages, wind damage and debris produced by high winds and heavy rain associated with Hurricane Michael."

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee said: "This is a storm to definitely take very seriously. Storm preparations should be rushed to completion today and Tuesday."

After the storm moves inland, it could dump additional unwanted rain on the Carolinas, which were battered by Florence in September. "Areas hit hard by Florence may face disruptions to ongoing cleanup efforts or renewed flooding depending on the track of the storm," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.

Michael is the seventh hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>Hurricane Michael is growing into a stronger storm in the Gulf as it looms closer to Florida.

While residents are bracing for landfall, environmental experts are watching to see harmful algae levels fall — or, possibly, rise — according to a report by AccuWeather.

Florida coastlines have blossomed with Karenia brevis, better known as red tide, throughout the year, causing beaches to shut down and thousands of marine organisms to die.

Red tide continues to grow on the west coast and even expand into the Panhandle — right in the projected path of Hurricane Michael.

One possible outcome from the merging forces is a red tide cleansing, AccuWeather reported.

Strong winds could blow the tide off shore and eliminate the possibility of a future bloom, according to AccuWeather.

Or, it might not.

The second possible outcome is that the storm could cause inland flooding and push the red tide into fertilized zones, supplying the red tide bacteria with a buffet and allowing to procreate even more, AccuWeather reported.

Red tide is made of dinoflagellates, which can flourish under the right conditions of tide, wind and man-made chemicals, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

jpedersen@orlandosentinel.com, 407-420-5268, @JoeMarPedersen on Twitter or @JoeMarioPedersenJournals on Facebook</s>The latest bulletin from NOAA says that the storm is currently bringing “heavy rainfall and strong winds spreading across western Cuba.” The advisory added that Michael will present “risk of life-threatening storm surge, heavy rainfall an dangerous winds increasing for the northeastern Gulf Coast. The massive storm is currently grinding north at 7 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. NOAA forecasts Michael to become a major hurricane - Category 3 of higher - by Tuesday.

1. Michael is forecast to be a dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the northeastern Gulf Coast on Wednesday, and life-threatening storm surge is possible along portions of the Florida Gulf Coast regardless of the storm's exact track or intensity. 2. Heavy rainfall from Michael could produce life-threatening flash flooding from the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region into portions of the Carolinas through Thursday. 3. Hurricane conditions will spread over portions of western Cuba this afternoon, where a hurricane warning is now in effect. Tropical storm conditions are expected over the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula and the Isle of Youth today. 4. Michael is expected to produce heavy rainfall and flash flooding over portions of western Cuba and the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico during the next couple of days. FOLLOW OUR LIVE UPDATES AS THE STORM PROGRESSES

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for: A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the coastline during the next 48 hours. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for: A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for: A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours. The following hazards could affect land: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.</s>Hurricane Michael formed Monday morning in the Caribbean Sea and is heading for a landfall as a major hurricane with 120-mph winds along the Gulf Coast by midweek.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott says Michael is a “monstrous storm” that has the potential to be devastating to the Florida Panhandle.

By 4 p.m. Monday, Michael's top sustained winds were around 75 mph (120 kph).

The storm was centered about 30 miles (80 kilometers) off the western tip of Cuba, and about 520 miles (835 kilometers) south of Apalachicola, Florida. It was moving north around 9 mph (11 kph).

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph with higher gusts, the National Hurricane Center said. Steady to rapid strengthening is expected for the next day or so. Michael is forecast to become a major hurricane by Tuesday or Tuesday night and should make landfall Wednesday afternoon or evening.

"Michael could produce three life-threatening hazards along portions of the northeastern Gulf Coast: storm surge, heavy rainfall and hurricane-force winds," according to the hurricane center.

Because of the storm surge threat, three Florida panhandle counties have issued mandatory evacuation orders ahead of the hurricane.

A hurricane watch has been posted for the Florida Gulf Coast, all the way from the Alabama-Florida border to the Suwannee River in Florida. A storm surge of up to 12 feet is forecast for a large section of the Florida coast.

According to the hurricane center, one potential impact from a Category 3 hurricane is that "electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes."

A major hurricane is a Category 3, 4 or 5 hurricane, which has winds of at least 111 mph. If the forecast is correct, it would be only the 11th major hurricane to hit Florida in October since records began in 1851, Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach said.

Scott declared an emergency in 35 counties and has asked President Trump for help ahead of the storm.

“Take this seriously and keep your family safe,” Scott said from Bay County on Monday. “We know that a storm like Michael can be devastating and deadly.”

Florida State University announced it will close from Tuesday through Friday this week.

Scott said 500 Florida National Guard members had been activated for planning, logistics and response, and another 5,000 stood at the ready.

"Do not take a chance on storm surge," Scott said. "This storm will be life-threatening and really dangerous. This is coming very fast."

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey also declared a state of emergency in her state, "in anticipation of widespread power outages, wind damage and debris produced by high winds and heavy rain associated with Hurricane Michael."

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee said: "This is a storm to definitely take very seriously. Storm preparations should be rushed to completion today and Tuesday."

Early Monday afternoon, Michael was centered about 20 miles off the western tip of Cuba and about 600 miles south of Tallahassee, Florida. It was moving to the north at 7 mph.

After the storm moves inland, it could dump additional unwanted rain on the Carolinas, which were battered by Florence in September. "Areas hit hard by Florence may face disruptions to ongoing cleanup efforts or renewed flooding depending on the track of the storm," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.

Michael is the seventh hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season.

Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Hurricane Sergio was spinning about 1,300 miles southwest of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. It's forecast to move toward the Baja this week and eventually make landfall as a tropical storm by week's end.

A separate storm system is forecast to drench the central U.S. in heavy rain on Monday. Flash flooding is possible in portions of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.</s>Wyatt Ferreira gets ready to move the charter fishing boat "First Light" from its mooring in the harbor in Destin, Fla., Monday, Oct. 8, 2018. Boat captains in this fishing community were relocating their vessels to safer waters in advance of Hurricane Michael. (Devon Ravine/Northwest Florida Daily News via AP) (AP)</s>Hurricane Michael is moving north-northwestward over the Gulf of Mexico. Here are the 4 am CDT October 9th Key Messages on Hurricane #Michael. pic.twitter.com/zKG49aiLqY</s>Columbia, SC — Michael has now strengthened into a hurricane, and is still on a track that will have it strike the U.S. Gulf Coast, then eventually move into South Carolina.

Michael now has winds of 75 MPH with stronger gusts. It was moving north at 7 mph. It was officially upgraded to hurricane status as of the 11 AM update from the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect for the provinces of Pinar del Rio and the Isle of Youth in Cuba and the coast of Mexico from Tulum to Cabo Catoche.

A storm surge watch has been issued from Navarre, Florida to Anna Maria Island, Florida, including Tampa Bay.

A hurricane watch has been issued from the Alabama-Florida border eastward to the Suwanee River, Florida.

A tropical storm watch has been issued from the Suwanee River to Anna Maria Island, Florida, including Tampa Bay. A tropical storm watch has also been issued from the Alabama-Florida border to the Mississippi-Alabama border.

Interests along the northeastern and central Gulf Coast should watch Michael closely. The risk of dangerous storm surge, rainfall and high winds continues to increase for the Gulf Coast.

Michael track: What will it do to South Carolina?

For South Carolina, the National Hurricane Center is indicating the storm will move through the state as a tropical storm by Thursday. If the storm takes this path, or a similar path, we can expect gusty winds, heavy rainfall, and the potential for severe weather.

The Weather Prediction Center is expecting 2.5 to 3 inches of rain to fall across the state over the next seven days. This will not be good for areas saturated from Hurricane Florence.

There is still a lot of uncertainty with Michael. Changes in the track, timing and strength could mean significant changes in our forecast. This will be a storm we will have to continue to monitor through the end of the workweek.

What Should I Do Now?

The best thing to do know is stay informed. Obviously, the storm will not make landfall in South Carolina, so hurricane force or evacuations is not a concern in our state. Still, it's good to stay on top of the system.

We'll have updates here online. If you download our app, you'll get alerts when the latest information comes out.

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A hurricane watch is issued for the Florida Panhandle as Hurricane Michael begins moving toward the Yucatan Channel.