jack parrish: these are waves in the atmosphere over central africa. they come out over the ocean, and then when they start to hit the warmer water, they get stronger. derek van dam: now, because our planet rotates, we have a spinning effect on our storms. it's called the coriolis effect. you start rotating faster and faster and faster until it's a perfect, perfect cylindrical eye, and then all of a sudden, you got yourself a monster. and that's the hurricane. robert campbell : i had my last conversation with my sister. you need to find something that floats, hold on to it, and don't let go. do not let go. and then we lost service. woman: almost the entire state of florida is bracing for the impact of hurricane ian, a monster storm stretching 700 miles across and getting stronger. derek van dam: miles matter in a storm. they can wobble back and forth. that means one town can be obliterated and one town can be saved. for anybody who decided to ride out this storm, it is time to be in your safe place. because right now, minutes matter, and this storm is