BREAKING UK WEATHER NEWS: Hurricane Michael to smash into BRITAIN on MONDAY

The NHC has described Michael as “potentially catastrophic” as the intense Category 4 hurricane is packing top sustained winds of 145mph as it churned towards the Florida Panhandle on today.

Michael could be the worst storm ever to hit the Panhandle and forecasters said it will bring damaging winds and potentially life-threatening storm surge.

But the storm is projected to move across the Atlantic and towards Europe, albeit at a less severe intensity.

A Met Office spokeswoman told Express.co.uk: “There is some possibility it could hit the UK, but it is too early to say with certainty.

“Some models project the storm hitting Europe, but some say it could take a different path and hit Liberia.

“If it did hit head towards the UK it would be a different beast.

“Although it is not uncommon to get the remnants of storms from the other side of the Atlantic over here. We could expect to see humid weather or maybe wet and windy conditions.

“But it is much to early to know.”

It would not be the first time remnants of a hurricane have battered the UK, last month Storm Helen brought strong winds and rain from across the Atlantic.

And last year ex-hurricane Lee brought a low pressure system to the UK.

Michael is forecast to hit the US on Wednesday afternoon local time, pushing water levels as high as 14 feet (4.3 metres) above sea level.

A NOAA spokesman said the hurricane had the potential to be “historical” in its impact on the US.

It would not be the first time remnants of a hurricane have battered the UK, last month Storm Helen brought strong winds and rain from across the Atlantic.

And last year ex-hurricane Lee brought a low pressure system to the UK.

Michael is forecast to hit the US on Wednesday afternoon local time, pushing water levels as high as 14 feet (4.3 metres) above sea level.

A NOAA spokesman said the hurricane had the potential to be “historical” in its impact on the US.

He said: “It’s important to not focus just on the core of the storm.

“This is a huge storm, we are looking at a 200-mile wind spread from the centre so tropical-storm force winds will be pulling out into portions of Alabama, even into portions of central Florida.

This is going to be a devastating storm, possibly historical.”

More than 2.1 million residents across 20 Florida counties are under mandatory or voluntary evacuations.

But residents in Georgia are also at severe risk of life-threatening conditions, warned Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) boss Brock Long.