Florida Panhandle prepared for Hurricane Michael

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. - Panama City Beach is expected to get a direct hit by Hurricane Michael. Residents are getting ready there.

By early Tuesday evening, it appeared residents were taking the mandatory evacuations seriously despite the sun shining for part of the day. The surf along the coast has picked up and there is a notably higher-than-normal tide.

RELATED: The latest information on Hurricane Michael

Homes and businesses were boarded up, but some residents said they have been through all this before. One resident said she rode out Opal and while she is prepared, she also is not going anywhere.

“Never had any problem. A lot of us were here for Opal. We've got as prepared as we can. If it's God's will, we'll flood. If we don't, it's too late to go anywhere now,” said resident Cyndie Kennedy.

Along with the mandatory evacuation orders come a notably tighter security. The beach patrol has been making their way up and down the coast, not just warning people to get out, but also making sure properties are secure.

The word they are trying to spread is once the tropical storm effects of the storm are felt, they will no longer be able to help those who are trapped, so it is smarter to leave ahead of the storm.

MORE: Complete coverage of Michael from the FOX 5 Storm Team