NOAA: Hurricane Michael Upgraded to Category 5 Storm, Fourth to Hit US

This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Hurricane Michael (C), in the Gulf of Mexico on Oct. 9, 2018. Weather forecasters have posthumously upgraded last fall's Hurricane Michael from a Category 4 storm to a Category 5. NOAA via AP

Hurricane Michael, which ravaged the Florida Panhandle last year, was upgraded to a Category 5—the strongest and rarest designation on the Saffir-Sampson Scale.

A monthslong analysis of the devastating October storm revealed that it packed 160 mph winds, making it a Category 5, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).