Last Friday’s announcement by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated that  Hurricane Michael had been upgraded from Category 4 to Category 5 when it made landfall last October.

Hurricane Michael was the first Category 4 (now Category 5) hurricane to strike the United States since Andrew in 1992. It was the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the US in terms of pressure.

The state most affected by this devastating storm was Florida. Thousands of homes were damaged beyond repair, families emotionally torn apart from loss of property, and in some instances even death.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said it has spent $1.1 billion on Hurricane Michael-related response and recovery efforts in Florida.

The new designation does not guarantee additional state or federal aid or help with insurance resolution. Although, The Florida state legislature is currently in session working on House Bill 1610, which could appropriate up to $300 million in aid.