VIDEO: Hurricane Michael has intensified into an Category 4 storm as it moved toward the Florida Panhandle, where it could blow ashore as the strongest storm to hit the United States this year.

The U.S. National Hurricane Centre predicts that Hurricane Michael will make landfall on the Gulf Coast, between the Alabama-Florida border and the Suwanee River, in Florida, on Wednesday.

The hurricane is likely to bring excessive rainfall and violent winds.

The Canadian government is advising residents to avoid any unnecessary travel through the affected areas.

If you are in the affected areas, you should follow evacuation orders, exercise caution, monitor local news and weather reports, and follow the instructions of local authorities. Contact your travel agent or tour operator to determine if the situation will disrupt your travel arrangements.