Category Five Hurricane Michael: Mexico Beach, Florida

[@judebug329]

This is one of the most captivating, eerie, and sadly beautiful videos I have seen. I had to watch it again to see the beginning and how things were before Michael. Just WOW.

[@Isalala3000]

I'll second that

[@robertracy6860]

I knew someone was going to say, "just wow"...ughhh....overused expression. How about "WOW"

[@judebug329]

Robert Racy Your comment.....Just Wow...

[@robertracy6860]

Judebug...your comment....WOW!

[@scotts7017]

Wow man! It is a great video!

[@vacanechaser]

dude, this is what we've talked about for 17 years...getting this shot. fantastic placement and just insane footage to watch... can't stop watching.. homers! congrats, you earned it

[@hairofbullets]

This is so totally amazing. I think post analysis will eventually show that this was in fact a category 5 at landfall.

[@joeshmo8202]

Yeah I think so too.

[@fuzzpope]

hairofbullets I agree.

[@lordmasterization]

I still go with strong 4.

[@adamlea6339]

The Baconator0524: He didn't say it was a category 5, he says he thinks it will be upgraded post analysis. There is a chance it will given it was rated as right on the boundary between cat 4 and 5, the hurricane was intensifying right up until landfall, the recon aircraft may not have sampled the peak winds, and the surface damage will reveal whether category 5 winds on the ground were likely experienced.

[@srchnfrcj]

I think a strong possibility. Andrew was reclassified. Didnt Michael have a lower barometric pressure than Andrew at landfall? That, combined with the devastation it left behind, makes me think it could be upped to 5.

[@gaminonya7599]

Just rebuild the town out of whatever that camera was in.

[@cloroxbleach5474]

agreed 💯

[@Louisvillebandman]

Strapped to a telephone pole!

[@jtm12180]

Lmao

[@brianpatterson1827]

Unreal

[@msarchive6247]

That's camera was like....yawnn zZzZz

[@TheWeatherNutz]

Now that is how you do it. I've been wanting to preposition cameras all along the right quad for years. Glad to see somebody is doing it. Great stuff.

[@dylanchampion24]

Wow. Great video Mark. It’s crazy to see how fast the storm surge came up when the eye wall came ashore.

[@srchnfrcj]

That's why storm surge is the #1 killer in hurricanes. People dont realize how much water gets pushed ashore and how fast it happens until it's too late.

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

@@srchnfrcj because the wind is so strong it basically blows the water ashore.

[@mystiphi2]

This just might be the most fascinating video I've ever seen. To think the only people (at least in the US) that ever saw something this powerful firsthand would probably be victims of Hurricane Camille. But with technology and your skilled deployment, we now the capability to see what could never be told. At least not in a way we could ever imagine. Thank you.

[@sparkyg35]

And Hurricane Andrew. And Hurricane Donna.

[@cto138]

This is EXTREME in all the sense and ways. One of the greatest video, explanation of a disaster in the making. Wow!!

[@maryq4546]

I was in shock! WOW very frightening. That was amazing footage Mark!! Why anyone would want to ride out a storm like Michael is beyond words. They had now idea what was coming.

[@crocodile1313]

I was thinking exactly what you said in your last sentence. I went through category 5 Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and, if you haven't lived through it, it is impossible to describe the fury.

[@patrickgarcia8254]

I noticed the camera turned to the right during eye wall. Absolute power! Thank you for sharing Mark! I am anxious to see what the other camera's have in-store. Praying for the victims of this catastrophic storm.

[@debraleelima]

Wow. That storm surge they always talk about is real...and I'm from Miami Beach... Incredibly amazing video, scary but amazing. Thank you for posting that.

[@marthabacker8539]

years ago, my Dad told me about the water coming up through the lobby of the hotels and over the Island to the bay.

[@chaseroyal121]

That road and parking lot are 99% of the time about 12-15 feet above sea level but any local will know the express lane parking lot floods with a light rain lol

[@hurricanetrack]

So that being said - the surge managed to rise 12-15 feet above sea level right in front of our eyes. Incredible.

[@daquanroberts3477]

Crazy Crazy Crazy. This was without a doubt a Category 5 Hurricane

[@GaryLyons]

Akwesi Quan it was actually 2mph short of a category 5. So it could have been worse. Irma last year got up to 175mph sustained winds at its strongest point. They said if it went to Category 6 Irma would have been that at her strongest.

[@KatrinaFelix]

@@GaryLyons I thought it was 185 mph...

[@omarroldan2112]

Katrina Felix they downgraded it to 180MPH

[@terryboldenjr.3555]

It’s been upgraded too a category 5

[@LostPr3acher]

As of April 19th, the NHC rated it a Cat 5. It is now official.

[@brianpatterson1827]

This is just unbelievable Footage Mark. Thank you for sharing!!

[@VandaFraney]

So unnerving to watch. . . This is incredible footage & Mark Sudduth is a master at finding where to place the cams. I hope he receives a medal for his work, as it is full of insight that aids data, research & rescues in these highly dangerous natural events.

[@dacub54]

Nature, science, technology... Best Hurricane Michael footage ..Possible best ever.. Especially if it attributes to a CAT 5 detriment to conclusion.

[@tepaso77]

I just started following you about 2 weeks ago or so and I have to say that you are GREAT. This footage of a hurricane is the best I have ever seen. I LOVE hurricanes I hope you don't take that the wrong way. I don't like the harm that they do but they are BEAUTIFUL storms. I know that you know about hurricanes and understand that it's a miracle that they even happen. Because so many things have to come together at the same time for one to forume. Thanks so so much for your great work. Keep it up. Jay from South Florida.

[@risingoneagleswings1776]

You spoke my words!

[@nicholasbarretto3934]

This is insane. The power and ferocious force of Category 5 Hurricane Michael. The lives have been changed forever in the Florida Panhandle.

[@Nine-Signs]

I've watched Hurricanes for many years but this is by far one of the best concise examples I've seen of the sheer un-survivability and destructive power of a major hurricane Vs conventional urban landscape. Gravel blasted to kibble then washed away.

[@cynthiamartin7028]

This is incredible. I can't stop watching it.

[@tallyforeman3145]

The purple sky as the storm had passed was eerie, yet amazing within itself.

[@six-pack1332]

I've been through several hurricanes but, never one like that. My wife and I drove through that area in February and we couldn't believe the total destruction. If I think a cat 4 or 5 is coming my way, we're out!

[@Robert_L22]

Thanks, Mark. You captured (driving) footage of our home in Rockport right after Harvey last year. While it did survive and remained completely intact (not a single broken window), the winds lifted and moved the house about 3 feet off of the Piers/Pilings it was sitting on. The recovery process is long and slow - we're now within 30 days of completion. Of all the video coverage out there, yours was the one that answered so many questions - is the house still there? ...if so, how bad is it damaged? ...are our neighbors' houses still there? ...what does the immediate area look like? ...was there storm surge? ...and the list goes on. Your video coverage was one of the most emotional experiences I've ever had in my life. To this day I still can't express how thankful we are to you for doing the job that you do, so well, and sharing your craft with the world. Thanks again for all that you do.

[@bunniesbunniesbunnie]

I hope you're home soon

[@Robert_L22]

We're fortunate - our primary home is in Arizona, so we weren't homeless or having to live in a shelter. We had left Rockport three weeks before that Hurricane came through and destroyed much of the city and surrounding communities. However we DO consider Rockport to be home - it just feels comfortable. I love Arizona ...the desert, the mountains, the blistering summer heat, the wicked monsoons, the bone-dry air (90% of the time), and the general laid-back attitude, but Rockport feels just as comfortable. Not complaining AT ALL. We're going on 15 months after the Hurricane and we haven't been back to the house yet. Once everything is done (the house had to be lifted and moved), and all of the inspections are completed, THEN we'll head back down and find out how the inside did. The engineers have certified the house to be structurally sound, but I'm sure since it moved, things are scattered all around, like an earthquake. But again, not complaining. Thanks for your reply.

[@xtremearmor]

WOW! I’ve never seen any video like this of a Hurricane. Amazing, how much force was in Hurricane Michael.

[@tennriverluver3534]

Everyone needs to see this. The power of nature is not to be ignored!!

[@whterabbt1405]

After seeing this video.. They (Weather Channel) need to not only put emphasis on "Storm Surge - You'll be X Feet under Water", but "The Water rushing of.. SURGING in will be flowing faster than a raging river with Wind Gusts capable of preventing you from even ATTEMPTING to gain composure while the SURGE is dragging you down the streets at 50mph" :o

[@peggygibbons479]

I agree. I thought storm surge meant the surge before the storm, not so! :(

[@romanolynyk3896]

Is that a snake going by at 1:06?

[@rhaellatargaryen5654]

As of April 19th, Hurricane Michael has been officially upgraded to a category 5 hurricane. After careful analysis of wind gages, instruments, damage assessment and camera footage, the Weather Service upgraded the storm with winds of 160 mph. This makes it the 4th such storm to hit the continental US. The last cat 5 was Andrew in 1992.

[@joannhempen8210]

Wow I can not believe that camera was still there. I’ve never seen hurricane footage like this. No wonder the town was destroyed!

[@getplaning]

KZbin Video Of The Year 2018

[@bdjoh011]

I was in Mexico Beach a couple of weeks ago. They have really made a lot of progress in rebuilding. Still a long way to go though.

[@spparodi]

3:00 minute mark.....was that a fast moving tornado or just a large column of water that caught the wind just right!?!😳

[@scottacissel]

Incredible Mark. That wave at 3:04...

[@shanelewis121]

The sun at the end was wonderful.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

The weather in FL is insane. It can come torrential downpours instantly at any time and even massive hurricanes and then a few minutes later there is beautiful sun and clouds and it's like nothing ever happened.

[@sherryh7485]

Parts of this video should be included in PSAs for evacuation pleading and orders. And shown in schools to prove no one should try to ride out a hurricane.

[@tonywalker4575]

Just so everyone knows... sustained wind at Tyndall Air Force base was clocked at 177 mph with a gust of 201 mph!

[@theratchetkid8727]

hey toy do have access to ay data to confirm . those numbers?

[@timothysmith9094]

Hurricane Michael was deffinatly a Catigory 5 at landfall because when it made landfall as a Catigory 4 with sustained winds of 155 mph, the pressure was 919 millibars and thats the strength of a Catigory 5. It was also stronger than Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was also a Catigory 5 before it made landfall as a Catigory 3.

[@mesoed]

And those filing insurance claims got screwed by the Cat 3 reclassification of Katrina (rather than Cat 4) despite the fact that actual wind speeds are only a small piece of the puzzle. I'm hoping that Michael gets reclassified up.

[@nutzhazel]

@@mesoed Ohh now I know why a powerful hurricane such as this are often downgraded compared to the usual rounds of category 5 super typhoons that hits Asia. It's all tied down to the insurance companies...that's sad..

[@mesoed]

I DEFINITELY wouldn't say that. The categorization has zero to do with making the insurance companies happy. It's an actual meteorological assessment of surface reports and damage that can be traced exclusively to wind after the fact. I would blame the insurance companies for doing things the "easy" way by using one small piece of the puzzle in large-scale natural disasters rather than doing proper damage assessments.

[@nutzhazel]

@@mesoed Oh okay..It seems like I misunderstood the statement :( I initially thought Ohh maybe that's why we here have more actual Cat 5 typhoons because we are not being covered by insurance coverages while the same devastating hurricanes are often categorized as 4 or 3 because they have insurance claims...sorry :(

[@jiafeiqueen]

Timothy Smith cat 5 starts at 158

[@nicholaswagner1461]

Wow, amazing video. The end with the sunset was very eerie.

[@markpalavosvrahotes5575]

Obviously sustained winds never reached category 5. Maybe just off the coast but on land 150 to 155 at most. Gusts were 180 though.

[@helloworld4371]

I disagree. I lived through Hurricane Michael and the extreme wind warnings. The sustain winds were over 155 mph in Panama City FL for 3 hours which was about 25 miles away from Mexico beach. Mexico beach experienced over 155 mph for 3 hours. Before Tyndall AFB went dark sustainable wind guest over 180 mph was recorded which was 14 miles away from Mexico beach. Mexico Beach along with Tyndall AFB was obliterated beyond belief. One Mexico beach survivor stated that the Strom surge was over 20 feet. He even stated he was lucky to have survived such a horrific event.

[@markpalavosvrahotes5575]

@@helloworld4371 No they were not in Panama City I mean. Mexico Beach yes. The strongest is the right quadrant. The main meteorologist that worked in Panama City said sustained were about 120 to 130. Tyndall was probably 140 to 150 sustained with gusts to over 170. Now Mexico Beach. They had the 155 plus winds for sure. But to be honest even 110 can take off your roof.

[@helloworld4371]

@@markpalavosvrahotes5575 I went through the left quadrant of the eye wall and witnessed first hand the extreme wind that had guest over 155 mph winds for 3 hours. Inside a F5 tornado along with the extreme flooding which I wasn't even in a flood zone. 30 ton railroad cars were picked up and thrown by the extreme wind on HWY 231 that's not 120mph winds. So don't advise me of what you think happen. I lived through Hurricane Michael wrath. Panama City , Springfield, Callaway, Millville was obliterated and Mexico Beach along with Tyndall AFB experience the full force of Hurricane Michael and was erased from the foundation.

[@markpalavosvrahotes5575]

@@helloworld4371 No if the meteorologist who was in downtown Panama City said sustained 120 to 130 that’s what it was. Gusts of 155 yes. But not sustained. Mexico Beach was sustained 155 to 160 mph gusts to 185. I wish I would have been in either Callaway Tyndall Airforce Base or Mexico Beach. Well at least I got to chase Ian last year. Hurricanes are a lot of fun to chase. But I’m no pro. Just do it as a hobby.

[@whalewoman813]

Excellent, congrats on having a cam at ground zero and capturing the full fury of Michael. The gusts and the water, I never

[@Icybubba]

This was a Category 5, I'll take that to my grave

[@Blipp619]

Definitely going to be upgraded after post analysis.

[@KatrinaFelix]

@@Blipp619 They only do that for tornadoes... Tornadoes are rated based on their damage. That's how the fujita scale works. Hurricanes, however, are rated based on the winds. It was a high-end category 4 with 150 mph winds, just 6 mph shy of a category 5. So no, it wasn't a category 5, but it was pretty close!

[@Blipp619]

Katrina Felix I get that. However, I know that for hurricane Andrew based on forensic analysis it was reclassified in 2002 from a category 4 to a category 5. Also being that the winds were 155 at landfall with a pressure (919) rarely seen in storms other than category 5, and given the fact that wind speed ratings at landfall are far less accurate than over open water - I figured it would probably be looked at very closely in post season analysis.

[@Blipp619]

Katrina Felix also, I heard Rick Knabb ( former national hurricane center director ) hint at this being a possibility.

[@Blipp619]

Katrina Felix not to beat this point to death, but one more bit of info. During post storm analysis of Andrew, Tetsuya Fujita actually assisted in data collection and was consulted on damage to eliminate the possibility of the damage being primarily tornado born. I believe they will test ground level instrumentation in the area to see if wind gust were measured that would normally exceed the potential of category 4 storm. This is what was done with Andrew so there's definitely precedent for it.

[@tammyorton4150]

What was that in the lower left hand corner....3:11-3:16? It looked like a person....It looks as though he rolled into that rock... and then tried to stand up and was knocked back down and hit his head on the rock....

[@TheMaisiewoofwoof]

I think Michael had stronger winds in places that were actually recorded and documented.

[@gregorythompson4251]

Thanks for the great video! It really shows destructive wind and storm surge from Michael..Keep up the fantastic work! 👏👍

[@runteamneal]

I voting for this one!!!They will be studing this video for years. Great job!

[@the_snowball3718]

How did that sign next to the gas station stayed up throughout the eyewall

[@hurricanetrack]

I have no clue. Honestly what the heck?

[@Sketchicane]

They gotta build houses outta that stuff now. They would survive anything!

[@colin-nekritz]

I wonder how many thousands of feet away they found what was left of that yellow box truck?

[@ritamcnabb2583]

Amazing video!! Unreal how that Exxon sign was still standing afterwards......

[@HURRICANEWILMA]

And i thought the fish being washed off Interstate 40 was the most insane video I had ever saw !!!! World Championship with this one ! This should be a video shown over and over again so people will better understand the power of hurricanes and storm surge ! and the damage they can cause ! might help someone someday save there family's lives !

[@brianpatterson1827]

The end of this video is just creepy. Great teaser to the whole footage. Shake your head moments that last. And then the sun sets....Sometimes the sun and moon is the only lighting for a long time for those in areas where mother nature's path of destruction came through.

[@BlueYup]

Mexico beach will never be the same...

[@riskybusiness04]

Great job Mark and team, incredible video.

[@NWSTallahassee]

HI! Can we at NWS Tallahassee use some of this footage with your permission and credit for our Michael videos? Thanks!

[@raylaknight6753]

Was that Toucans we seen blow away? I remember hearing all the alarms going off when the eye went over.

[@hurricanetrack]

Yes

[@mahfl22]

Don't stay in a storm surge area...

[@stickboy2672]

Pretty sure that is a mounted camera.

[@NSNorfolk]

Wow, nothing like our Outer Banks trip on Gustov, Mark. Great camera siting/work! Every now and again, I find a pocket of "Gustov sand" hiding somewhere on my truck.

[@gregmarbury9432]

The end captures a known truth about the aftermath of a big storm.....the silence. It will be weeks before you hear the natural sounds of birds and squirrels.

[@bcsurfstyles]

Well done sir. You have worked very hard to get that video. Cat 5 eyewall Brutal

[@Debbiesnc]

Still chills me to the bone

[@sasquatch5680]

where did the camera man get an abrams to house the camera in?

[@hurricanetrack]

That’s classic! Actually the GoPro is inside of a pelican case about the size of a lunch box. It is all part of a specially designed system to capture the intense impacts of hurricanes and other severe weather.

[@tumsfestival]

Incredible footage from inside the storm. Glad to see the technology has caught up with your vision of remote cameras.

[@johnkeim8377]

I saw some of your video on the Weather Channel today Mark. Excellent work.

[@bluewaterpines8323]

IT Was so bad i can not watch this. NEVER HAVE I BEEN THROUGH SUCH A STORM.

[@Mars0984]

Nice work bud. How did you plant the go pro in place to not blow away like that?

[@hurricanetrack]

Thanks! It was inside of a Pelican Case and the case was ratchet strapped to the utility pole like a boss!

[@Mars0984]

hurricanetrack haha nice work, glad it survived

[@shimojones]

That is amazing and truly terrifying, especially with the sounds of the destruction. Some of the most powerful footage I have ever seen. I hope you didn't lose your house making it.

[@briannakelly677]

Went there today, many houses still not rebuilt, lots of damage even a year later.

[@jambisket9412]

I believe that's toucans seafood restaurant getting blown apart. So sad. Took my children here on summer vacation about 15 yrs ago. Beautiful beach..wow Fascinating video

[@Cyberlyft]

That was Toucans :(

[@miguelisms]

It's amazing the go pro survived.

[@crocodile1313]

What the hell was the camera inside of to have survived that?? A tank anchored with concrete into bedrock?

[@anb7408]

I’ve only seen wind speeds this fast once before…..inside the tornado intercept vehicle within an EF-4 tornado with 175mph winds. That one last less than 5 minutes. This one lasted for over an hour. It’s no wonder over 95% of the structures in Mexico Beach were wiped out!

[@dalbertovaldez9769]

Phenomenal footage mark I’m proud of you!!

[@judebug329]

I didn’t see the video of the camera being placed until after I saw this one. I kept trying to figure out where y’all were going for the first 3 hours! If I hadn’t seen this first, I wouldn’t have recognized the building across the street. That poor building sure didn’t last long in the power of Michael.

[@JettWhitfield]

Wow! How did you mount the GoPro to where it didn't blow away? This is incredible and so sad. Prayers for all those affected by this awful storm.

[@TompComp]

Ditto. What was this camera in?

[@pg1171]

Amazing, but unnerving also. I'm amazed that the camera actually survived the storm. Great work!

[@frankenbreezy]

Could/have you put time stamps on each transition to give the viewer an idea of how long the storm pounded?

[@frankenbreezy]

It incredible to be able to watch. Thanks!

[@ruthdice2154]

WOW! just absolutely awesome video capture of the storm surge and winds..The power they have to destroy everything but that sign and gas station, amazing it was still standing, when building there on the dune where gone. Great system you have developed Mark!

[@sandyelders2196]

In a way I appreciate this video and in a way I hate that it exists. I guess everything is a bit bitter sweet, because I wanted to see how it was after we evacuated and what happened at least as the waters came across hwy 98, tore down Toucan's and my son's store he worked in before going straight back from there and taking everything we had from us. So many of us in Mexico Beach lost everything. Please be mindful and respectful of that as you cast your Wows.....thank you.

[@hurricanetrack]

My complete documentary will put it all in context and demonstrate my complete respect and empathy for the people of Mexico Beach and elsewhere. In fact, I have something very special planned for when my documentary is complete that I hope will resonate with everyone who was impacted by Michael there in MB. Hang in there!

[@mesoed]

Rare footage of the surge. Curious how you mounted the GoPro to hold up largely unmoved.

[@vincador99]

0:40 that looked like a throwing knife

[@olenamcquagge7777]

I always wondered what Camile (1969) was like in Biloxi, MS when it was the talk of the town...for decades...Now I know what a Camile type hurricane is like...very very terrible and ferocious wind...very dangerous.

[@zahir2025-c9w]

That hurricane cannot be a category 4. That must be a category 5 as it looks like a monster tornado strike on that area. OMG !!! This camera recorded the most dangerous part of that hurricane since it made its land fall !!!

[@billwalbek1911]

Outstanding video. Great testimony to the force of a strong CAT 4 hurricane!

[@LostPr3acher]

Nope. It's been updated. NHC rated it a Cat 5 on 4/19/19.

[@amerz2477]

AMAZING..great video of wind and the surge

[@Nomogizmo111200]

Amazing video Mark!!

[@tuberose11]

The pole the camera was mounted to was able to stay up?!

[@hurricanetrack]

Yes

[@risingoneagleswings1776]

At the 3:40 mark..wow! First glimpse of the destruction. Nice transition to the sunset.

[@theonlybutterflylady]

My question is what was the go pro attached to that didn't blow away.

[@hurricanetrack]

A wooden light pole.

[@ncredbird3998]

Dang is this camera in a friggin coffee can? Feel like my ears are full of metal marbles

[@RegisteredCoonass]

Viewing this, it makes me wonder how the camera even survived! i have visited Mexico Beach a few times. Just passing through. But I always like stopping at Toucan's for a drink on the deck overlooking the beach. So sad that all of that is gone.

[@geomon956]

Awesome and powerful video...I have the app and was watching the live feed while on a conference call at work till the signal was lost (perks of a home office). It would be great for the next landfall to have two GoPro cameras....one pointed into the storm like this was and one looking inland to watch the impact looking landward.

[@hurricanetrack]

All only a matter of funding. The more patrons etc that we can have backing our work, the more we can invest in what you suggested. Thanks too for purchasing the app! That helps too!

[@sallydaniel1023]

That was one incredibly powerful storm surge

[@sin28dyb]

Where is this filmed from?

[@jeremycarroll3927]

How fast did the storm surge come up? And how high?

[@hurricanetrack]

Very difficult to ascertain at this point. I’m working on it as are a lot of people.

[@galemccurdy6493]

What was that camera attached to!!

[@hurricanetrack]

Wooden light pole. We used ratchet strap and held it on like a boss!

[@SchmootieKat]

Can u tell us what time of the day that was when filmed ?

[@josephastier7421]

Those beachfront structures were *gone* at the end.

[@toddregister6621]

What was the GoPro attached to? Great video....amazing the power of Mother Nature....WOW!

[@joshtaylor9884]

Im just speechless as I watch this.

[@geniejean8229]

Wow, great video, seems like only the hotel/apts and that sign was left.

[@shipwrecked2006]

great vid Mark,alive and well,trees down no major damage,pretty wild for a while

[@hurricanetrack]

Great to hear from you my friend! I gave you as much warning as I could on Sunday. Let me know how the area is please

[@aaronsauers6193]

I think i saw anderson cooper standing out there at one point...

[@judebug329]

Aaron Sauers yes! Me, too! It looked like it was up to his neck! And that was when it was 6” deep!

[@aaronsauers6193]

Judebug He sure gets around.... what a brave hero

[@pg1171]

LMAO!

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

A guy can dream... LOL!

[@leeclaire9898]

And not a hair out of place.