CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Fast-moving Michael has left North Carolina behind with rivers rising and more than 500,000 households in the dark.
Gov. Roy Cooper's office said the power outages were concentrated in central North Carolina's Piedmont region, as trees and power lines toppled under the pressure of winds of up to 60 mph.
[PHOTOS: Charlotte-area damage]
[ [PHOTOS: Mexico Beach decimated by Hurricane Michael] ]
[CLICK HERE for a running list of closings because of Michael]
[CLICK HERE for power outage map]
Flash flooding snarled the state's two largest cities, Charlotte and Raleigh, as well as the university town of Chapel Hill.
Dozens of swift water rescues and evacuations were needed in the Piedmont region as well as the state's mountains and foothills.
Michael also sent dangerous wind gusts over portions of Virginia.
On Friday morning, the National Hurricane Center issued its final advisory on Michael, now a post-tropical cyclone speeding off over the Atlantic Ocean.
And, impressively, Michael's top sustained winds are growing again, to near 65 mph at 5 a.m., with forecasters saying it will grow stronger still.
It remains very large, with tropical storm-force winds extending outward up to 275 miles from its center. A gauge on one offshore buoy recorded a wind gust of nearly hurricane strength.
The Hurricane Center says threats to land are diminishing. There's a minor storm surge still along the North Carolina coast, gale-force winds may continue for a few more hours over the southern Chesapeake Bay area, and several inches of rain is expected from New Jersey up through Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Flash flooding may continue meanwhile in the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic states.
The storm left devastation in its wake, and below are social media posts highlighting Michael's power and destruction:
MORE HURRICANE CONTENT:
- Historic Hurricane Michael: How it stacks up to other U.S., Florida storms
- Videos, photos show devastation along Florida Panhandle
- Several weekend events put on hold as Michael barrels through
- WHAT'S HAPPENING: Historic Hurricane Michael hits Florida
- Here are airlines that are waiving fees for flights impacted by Hurricane Michael
- Trump likely to visit Florida, Georgia next week to survey storm damage
- A warmer world makes hurricanes wetter and more intense
- How to know whether your tree will fall during Hurricane Michael
- Ahead of Michael, roof repair companies still backed up after Florence
- Snakes alive! As waters rise, beware of reptiles
- 5 hacks to keep your smartphone charged during a power outage
- VIDEO: What to do the minute your flight is canceled
- EXPLAINER: Why North Carolina is vulnerable to hurricanes
- Only 3 Category 4 hurricanes have made landfall in the Carolinas
- East Coast hurricane scenario showed potential for disaster
- 'Gray Man' ghost appears before major hurricanes, SC legend says
- Will a hurricane be named after you this season? 2018 storm names are here
- What is the Saffir-Simpson scale; how does it work; is there a Category 6?
- How dangerous is a hurricane? Understanding hurricane categories
- Hurricane, tropical storm and tropical depression: What's the difference?
- What is a storm surge and why is it dangerous?
- 9 weather terms you should know when preparing for a hurricane
- Everything you need to know to prepare for hurricane season
- How to use the internet during the storm when your internet is down
- Taking photos of your home before a storm can speed up insurance process