— The worst of Tropical Storm Michael has moved through the Triangle, bringing gusty winds that downed trees across the area.

Top things to know about the storm:

At least six deaths are now linked to Michael – four in Florida, one in Georgia and one in Iredell County.

Trees are reported down across the state. Local storm damage reports map

As of 9:30 p.m., more than 600,000 customers were without power across the state, with the majority of outages in the western part of the state.

Interactive tracker | River flooding forecasts | School closings | Traffic cams

Triangle impacts | Maps & webcams | Michael's records | Shelter, road info

1:43 a.m.: Creedmoor Road remains shutdown between Norwood Road and Interstate 540 after a tree fell on a power line and blocked the road. Authorities said residents in the area reported the fallen tree at about 7 p.m., but nobody has responded to teh scene. Authorities are not sure when the road will reopen.

11:10 p.m.: Tropical storm warnings have been canceled for many counties, including Wake, Johnston, Orange and Durham.

10:45 p.m.: Wake County Schools announced that all classes wil be canceled Friday as a result of Tropical Storm Michael.

9:35 p.m.: Officials in Cumberland County have deactivated its Emergency Operations Center and ended a state of emergency that was in effect as Hurricane Michael moved through the region.

“There were no major incidents associated with this event. There have been sporadic power outages and trees down, but no reports of flooding or substantial damages,” said Tracy Jackson, Assistant County Manager and Interim Emergency Services Director.

9:33 p.m.: Durham Public Schools announced classes would be canceled Friday as a result of power outages and road conditions caused by Hurricane Michael.

8:56 p.m.: Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools announced classes have been canceled Friday as a result of power outages and road blockages caused by Tropical Storm Michael.

8:18 p.m.: A spokeswoman with the Department of Agriculture said a man was injured when a tree limb fell onto a truck and trailer at the State Fairgrounds. Officials said the man was able to walk to the ambulance and will be taken to an area hospital to be checked out. The incident happened near Gate 5, officials said.

7 p.m.: Gov. Roy Cooper warns people against traveling after dark because of the growing hazards created by Tropical Storm Michael.

"Falling trees and rising waters, along with landslides in our mountains, are making travel difficult and even life-threatening in some areas," Cooper said. "Tonight, I urge people to hunker down and stay safe until Michael blows through."

Flooding has been reported along the Catawba, Rocky, Haw and Tar rivers. Dozens of swift water rescues and evacuations have taken place across the state, he said, including in Guilford, Forsyth, Iredell, Henderson and Burke counties.

6:30 p.m.: More than 500,000 homes and businesses are without power across North Carolina, including about 48,000 in Wake, Durham and Orange counties.

6:10 p.m.: As Michael's winds pick up across central North Carolina, reports of downed trees are proliferating. Person County has declared a state of emergency because of the growing number of trees being knocked down is leading to larger numbers of people without power.

6:05 p.m.: A tornado watch that was supposed to expire at 9 p.m. has been canceled early for the Triangle.

5:45 p.m.: Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools joined the line of school districts opening two hours late Friday.

5 p.m.: Gov. Roy Cooper said central and eastern North Carolina face several more hours of heavy wind and rain from Tropical Storm Michael.

"I know we grow weary of wind, rain and floods, but we must remain cautious and alert," he said.

Some parts of the state have seen up to 7 inches of rain fall, and winds have gusted at up to 60 mph, bringing down trees and power lines.

Cooper pointed out that as darkness falls, already hazardous conditions will get worse for travelers.

Through 5 p.m., there were 100 roads closed across the state.

4:55 p.m.: Schools in Wake, Cumberland and Johnston counties will all operate on a two-hour delay Friday because of the lingering rain and winds from Michael overnight.

4:45 p.m.: Wake County is under a severe thunderstorm warning through 6:15 p.m. A line of damaging winds along the southern boundary of Tropical Storm Michael was about 6 miles northeast of Roxboro through Rougemont. Winds were measured at up to 60 mph, with the potential to spin up a tornado.

4:30 p.m.: The greatest damage from Tropical Storm Michael in North Carolina so far has been to the west of the Triangle. The Broad River was running high in Rutherford County and trees were reported down all over Mecklenberg County.

There were reports of wind damage in Alamance and Rockingham counties.

3:45 p.m.: The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Caswell County through 4:30 p.m.

3:40 p.m.: WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel said that rainfall may abate for a bit over the Triangle before returning with the back side of Tropical Storm Michael.

"It's the winds within these leftover bands that will be the main concern," he said.

Wind gusts had been measured at almost 50 mph in Albemarle County just before 4 p.m.

High winds following Michael's rain could bring down trees rooted in already-saturated soil.

3:15 p.m.: Robeson County schools will be closed on Friday. Several districts, including Durham Public Schools, will open late.

3 p.m.: At least one death in North Carolina can be attributed to Tropical Storm Michael. A driver died in Iredell County when a tree fell on a car.

2:30 p.m.: The heaviest rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Michael has passed communities like Fayetteville and Lumberton and is on the way north and east.

"I think the heaviest rain is done for you, Fayetteville," said WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze.

2:26 p.m.: Northbound lanes of Capital Boulevard out of downtown Raleigh were closed due to high water. Traffic is being diverted from the area.

2:22 p.m.: Along Umstead Drive in Chapel Hill, the creek is rising and flowing quickly. The water level is just shy of the bike path along the creek.

1:27 p.m.: A flash flood warning has been issued for several counties, including east central Moore, Cumberland, Harnett, Johnston, Granville and Person. For full list: Weather Alerts

1 p.m.: WRAL reporters are seeing heavy rains during their liveshots, including in Fayetteville and Chapel Hill.

12 p.m.: WRAL News reporter Rosalia Fodera is seeing rain in Robeson County. There is rain falling during a liveshot from reporter Gilbert Baez, who is in Fayetteville.

11:09 a.m.: The storm has resulted in some airline schedule changes at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. According to airport officials, 43 arriving flights have been canceled and 41 departures have been scrubbed.

11:01 a.m.: Michael has winds of 50 mph, Elizabeth Gardner says. "We have the rest of the day and evening to deal with this storm," she said. The Triangle is under a Level 3 risk of severe weather.

11 a.m.: Fayettevile police and city officials are speaking live, warning residents to stay off city streets if possible when the storm arrives. Residents should take precautions, officials say.

10:31 a.m. Gov. Roy Cooper is speaking live from the Emergency Operations Center. He said 16 roads around the state are closed and residents should take precautions. "The storm's rain and winds are heading east," he said. "The storm is still a threat and should be taken seriously."

10:16 a.m.: Wake County has announced that it is opening an emergency shelter at noon at Southeast Raleigh High School for people who need accommodations.

10:14 a.m.: Several Triangle counties are under a tornado watch as Tropical Storm Michael gets closer. The counties include Wake, Durham, Cumberland, Edgecombe, Orange and Nash.

WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said the storm is moving north and expected to arrive mid-morning, most likely after the morning commute.

"Rain is going to pick up in intensity later this morning," she said. "The heaviest rain will likely be from the Triangle northward."

Several counties in central North Carolina are under a weather alert. For the full list: Weather Alerts

Several school districts have closed as the storm approaches the region. For the full list: Closings & Delays

Officials were monitoring several flood-prone areas around the Triangle and central North Carolina for the possibility of flash flooding. One of those areas is around Crabtree Valley Mall, which has a history of flooding.

Mall officials say they still anticipate opening at 10 a.m. Thursday, but they are closely watching the forecast and would revisit that decision if needed.

Gov. Roy Cooper's decision on Wednesday to declare a state of emergency means 150 National Guard troops are on standby and can provide assistance if needed. The state's Emergency Operations Center has also been activated.

After Michael leaves NC, fall arrives

Once the storm moves out, weather conditions will greatly improve around the Triangle, which will see its first taste of fall.

Brisk, crisper air will move in with overnight lows that will dip to the upper 40s Friday night in Saturday.

Michael makes landfall in Florida

The most powerful hurricane on record to hit Florida's Panhandle left wide destruction and at least two people dead and wasn't nearly finished Thursday as it crossed Georgia, now as a tropical storm, toward the Carolinas, that are still reeling from epic flooding by Hurricane Florence.

A day after the supercharged storm crashed ashore amid white sand beaches, fishing towns and military bases, Michael was no longer a Category 4 monster packing 155 mph (250 kph) winds. As the tropical storm continued to weaken it was still menacing the Southeast with heavy rains, blustery winds and possible spinoff tornadoes.

Authorities said at least two people have died, a man killed by a tree falling on a Panhandle home and according to WMAZ-TV, an 11-year-old girl was also killed by a tree falling on a home in southwest Georgia. Search and rescue crews were expected to escalate efforts to reach hardest-hit areas and check for anyone trapped or injured in the storm debris.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the eye of Michael was about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Macon in central Georgia at 2:00 a.m. Thursday. The storm had top sustained winds of 60 mph (96 kph) and was moving to the northeast at 20 mph (32 kph).

After daylight Thursday residents of north Florida would just be beginning to take stock of the enormity of the disaster.

Damage in Panama City near where Michael came ashore Wednesday afternoon was so extensive that broken and uprooted trees and downed power lines lay nearly everywhere. Roofs were peeled away, sent airborne, and homes were split open by fallen trees. Twisted street signs lay on the ground. Palm trees whipped wildly in the winds. More than 380,000 homes and businesses were without power at the height of the storm.

Vance Beu, 29, was staying with his mother at her home, Spring Gate Apartments, a complex of single-story wood frame buildings where they piled up mattresses around themselves for protection. A pine tree punched a hole in their roof and his ears even popped when the barometric pressure went lower. The roar of the winds, he said, sounded like a jet engine.

"It was terrifying, honestly. There was a lot of noise. We thought the windows were going to break at any time," Beu said.

Sally Crown rode out Michael on the Florida Panhandle thinking at first that the worst damage was the many trees downed in her yard. But after the storm passed, she emerged to check on the cafe she manages and discovered a scene of breathtaking destruction.

"It's absolutely horrendous. Catastrophic," Crown said. "There's flooding. Boats on the highway. A house on the highway. Houses that have been there forever are just shattered."

A Panhandle man was killed by a tree that toppled on a home, Gadsden County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Anglie Hightower said. But she added emergency crews trying to reach the home were hampered by downed trees and debris blocking roadways. The debris was a problem in many coastal communities and still hundreds of thousands of people were also left without power.

Gov. Rick Scott announced afterward that thousands of law enforcement officers, utility crews and search and rescue teams would now go into recovery mode. He said "aggressive" search and rescue efforts would get underway.

"Hurricane Michael cannot break Florida," Scott vowed.

Michael sprang quickly from a weekend tropical depression, going from a Category 2 on Tuesday to a Category 4 by the time it came ashore. It forced more than 375,000 people up and down the Gulf Coast to evacuate as it gained strength quickly while crossing the eastern Gulf of Mexico toward north Florida. It moved so fast that people didn't' have much time to prepare, and emergency authorities lamented that many ignored the warnings and seemed to think they could ride it out.

In Panama City, plywood and metal flew off the front of a Holiday Inn Express. Part of the awning fell and shattered the glass front door of the hotel, and the rest of the awning wound up on vehicles parked below it.

"Oh my God, what are we seeing?" said evacuee Rachel Franklin, her mouth hanging open.

Based on its internal barometric pressure, Michael was the third most powerful hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland, behind the unnamed Labor Day storm of 1935 and Camille in 1969. Based on wind speed, it was the fourth-strongest, behind the Labor Day storm (184 mph, or 296 kph), Camille and Andrew in 1992.

It also brought the dangers of a life-threatening storm surge.

In Mexico Beach, population 1,000, the storm shattered homes, leaving floating piles of lumber. The lead-gray water was so high that roofs were about all that could be seen of many homes.

Hours earlier, meteorologists watched satellite imagery in complete awe as the storm intensified.

"We are in new territory," National Hurricane Center Meteorologist Dennis Feltgen wrote on Facebook. "The historical record, going back to 1851, finds no Category 4 hurricane ever hitting the Florida panhandle."

The storm is likely to fire up the debate over global warming. Scientists say global warming is responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme weather, such as storms, droughts, floods and fires. But without extensive study, they cannot directly link a single weather event to the changing climate.

After Michael left the Panhandle late Wednesday, Kaylee O'Brien was crying as she sorted through the remains of the apartment she shared with three roommates at Whispering Pines apartments, where the smell of broken pine trees was thick in the air. Four pine trees had crashed through the roof of her apartment, nearly hitting two people.

Her biggest worry: finding her missing 1-year-old Siamese cat, Molly.

"We haven't seen her since the tree hit the den. She's my baby," a distraught O'Brien said, her face wet with tears.

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Associated Press writers Tamara Lush in St. Petersburg, Florida; Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Brendan Farrington in St. Marks, Florida; Russ Bynum in Keaton Beach, Florida; Jonathan Drew in Raleigh, North Carolina; and Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland, contributed to this story.