hey, thanks for. watching don lemon tonight starts right now. hey, don lemon. >> hello, laura coates. we've got a big storm bearing down, down in florida. it's really. bad >> it's unbelievable. you think about the storm surge, you think about the area that is affecting. it's the first in what, 100 years, don? it's scary. >> yeah, it's growing and growing and growing. and i'm supposed to go down. so hopefully i can go down, get on a plane. if so, i will see you tomorrow night. >> please stay safe. >> thank you very much, laura. stay safe, i will see you soon. this is don lemon tonight. and what laura and i were just talking about is a life-threatening impact. this is something you really need to pay attention to, especially if you're in the path, the of love once or relatives there. just the country as a whole, this is a normal.

this is what forecasters are warning about as hurricane ian, a dangerous category 3 storm, maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour. it's strengthening, with florida right in its sights. take a look at this. there's the radar. if you are in florida right now, or you know someone there, the next few hours could really be crucial. millions of people, millions are under warnings and watches as this massive storm takes aim at that state. the numbers are staggering. 15 million people under hurricane warnings in southwestern florida. the national hurricane center says they need to rush to finish preparations to protect their lives and their properties. more than 7 million are under a tornado watch in central and southern florida. and that includes miami, and that through 5 am. and that could change. we're going to get updated forecast about the hours here. over two and a half million

people are under evacuation orders right now. one and three quarter million of them under mandatory evacuation orders. but the wind and the rain may not be the worst of it right now. nearly 10 million people are under a storm surge warning, including in tampa bay, with danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the coastline. the national hurricane center is warning that everybody, warning everybody to promptly follow evacuation orders. the center of this storm, expected to approach the west coast of florida tomorrow afternoon, or early evening as an extremely dangerous major hurricane is happening right now. forecasters warning hurricane ian could be a storm like nothing we have ever seen in our lifetimes. and that's what the forecasters are. saying that's what the experts are saying. i'm not just saying, it's not hyperbole from. me we're gonna be tracking all

of it for you throughout the night, here on cnn. so, buckle in everyone. pay attention. this is an important show, the next couple of hours. so, stay tuned. let's get right to cnn's ryan young in tampa for the very latest. ryan, good evening to you. you wrote along today with officers from tampa police department. they were going door to door, the mandatory evacuation zone. so, what is it like on the ground there? and how are those in danger, in that danger zone, preparing for that massive hurricane? are they staying, are they going, what's up? >> that's the big question right now. don, you set it up so well. there's so many storylines involved here, when you think about this. so many people move to the state. for so many, this is their first hurricane. so as you can understand, they are not sure what to do. officials have been trying to give them as much guidelines as possible. we went door to door with these officers today. and the first place we are there was at a trailer park. and they're trying to get people to leave. and you can understand, some

folks they did not want to go to a shelter because they did not want to leave their animals behind. you can understand. that others say they plan to leave later on in the afternoon. but we could see the traffic getting heavier and heavier, moving out of the city. but we think about this, we talk to one family that had just moved from oregon. they are scared about leaving their possessions behind. but at the same time, this is their first hurricane. listen to this officer talk about the idea of why it's so important to go door to door to make sure they pressed people, especially the areas they've been asked to evacuate, to leave. >> hello, how are you today? good, hey, we are coming by and letting everyone know that you're in a mandatory evacuation situation. are you aware that? okay, did you get the flyer yesterday with some shelters that are available? yeah, okay, all right, be safe and make sure to make your plans here pretty soon, okay? thank you. >> don, you can think about this. some of the schools that have been closed in this area,

cafeteria workers are now stepping up to cook food for folks. i also want to show you what's behind me. because obviously at night it's so hard to see preparations for the storm. behind in the hospital here, this is tampa general hospital. and you can see that wall. that's a -- wall. that's been created to keep the water out. even in heavy rains here, they deal with a lot of water. and they want to keep this trauma center open. but you can understand with the amount of rain that is expected here, that storm surge is such an important word that could be dealing with so many folks -- that so many folks have to deal with. they want to make sure the barrier is up so the water does not get in there. the mayor was trying to talk today about how it's important to drive through water. because we obviously see that from storm to storm. and today at a news conference, she made it very clear that she wants people to heed the warnings as it gets closer and closer to the storm hours. >> it's going to be in our rivers. it's going to be in our streams. it's going to be in our canals. it's going to be in our storm water drains in ditches. >> don, a lot of times we talk

about what's going to happen. we talk about the -- . and you understand it, there's a lot of emotion involved in this. and we saw folks getting in line for over two hours to get sandbags. and most sandbag locations, they can only get ten sandbags. we also see neighbors picking up sandbags for each other. you understand how people feel about their property. but at the end of the day, when you talk about that much water, you fear for what people may choose to do, and then try to drive out to light. that's what they're trying to -- hear, especially those evacuation of zones. a and b, they told him to get out today. some people decide to stay, some got out. >> i find fascinating -- they should never decide to stay. a can be the worst mistake. better safe than sorry, obviously. but can you show us again, you said that's an equal wall that will keep the surge out of the hospital? it's not what's going on? >> so, let me show you this. steve, my photographer, i will have a zoom in a little bit. and we'll show you this. they've been setting this up for the last two. days and this creates a barrier from the hospital.

in fact, there have been heavier as that affected this hospital. it's tampa general hospital. it's a level one trauma center. and you know how important is level one trauma centers are. so, we're across the island, so to speak, here. and the water is just on the other side of this wall. so it comes up all the time. and so what they did is created this barrier right in front of the er. so hopefully, the water will just come up to the front and not be able to penetrate its way into the hospital. and that's something we've been working on for the last few days. just in the neighborhood over here, on the last time we are here for a storm. we saw a man using an inflatable aqua wall to guard his house. so you understand the people here have dealt with water before. they're trying to do the most they can to keep the water out. because obviously once it gets into the bottom floor, it's trouble from there. especially when the surge starts going higher and higher. >> this is really just the beginning. and our ryan young is. here thank you very much, we'll get back to you, and we'll get out to the national hurricane center in miami and acting director jamie rome.

jamie, appreciate you for joining us. this is serious stuff, it can be. we cannot underscore that anymore than we are now. what are your latest models showing. what parts of florida should brace for the worst year? >> yeah, you can see ian is now within radar site. so, you can see the well-defined circulation now approaching just to the south, southwest of sarasota. and then you can see this band of heavy showers and thunderstorms already moving out ahead of it. this activity was bound here in south florida last night and day. really heavy rain to proceed the actual core of the hurricane. so, looking like a big flood threat as ian basically crawls across the florida peninsula. >> so, if, if it continues within the model that you have now, in the direction as this model is showing you, what places will be impacted the

most here? >> it's actually going to be a multi hazard event. so, for the areas, the strongest surge will be to the south, where the winds are onshore. so, we're looking at fort myers and marco island. marco island i'm really concerned about tonight for the peak surge. but then the winds and the rain spreading inland along into the north, along into the north of the track. and that would include the i-four corridor, tampa, orlando, and potentially all the way up to jacksonville. >> yeah, that's a big area. so, meteorologist jamie, has said that this storm could be entering a another period of rapid intensification. can you tell us what this is and what effect climate change has on this phenomena? >> we can come back and talk about climate change at a later time. i want to talk about the here and. now we think the rapid intensification is probably almost done. there could be a little bit more intensification as it still over the warm waters of

the eastern gulf of mexico but i think we're going to get any more rapid intensification. if you look here, pretty interesting for your viewers, you can actually see a second eyewall forming around the inner eyewall. and that's basically the second eyewall has overtaken the original eyewall. and that should arrest development. >> listen, i'm just trying to get, yet you want to talk about climate change. but what effect does climate change have on this phenomenon that is happening? because it seems these storms are intensifying. that's the question. >> i don't think you can link to climate change to any one of it. on the whole, the cumulative, climate change maybe making storms worth. but to link it to any one event, i would caution against that. >> okay, but, listen, i grew up there. and the storms are intensifying. something is causing them to intensify. so, this storm is, it's a massive on, its effects are also being felt in the southern part of florida. what about the area that might

not be taking a direct hit, or experienced the storm surg e can see how big that wind field is relative to traditional hurricanes. and as that moves up and over the florida peninsula, up into the southeast united states, you can see this big area, blue area of tropical storm warnings. so, it's really going to be a big event for not just florida but also for georgia and south carolina. >> listen, florida's coastline, as we discuss every time, there is, you know, one of these huge storms, florida's coastline has been massively developed. as this impending storm a warning about that, given the strength of the storms that we are now seeing, as

rob heron of hillsborough county fire and rescue, which includes tampa. and the vice mayor, nick but showed a, of -- florida. rob, i'm going to start with you, because this is the first time your area has been under hurricane warning since irma. in 2017. tonight, you're telling people the planning time is over. so, now what? >> it's time to execute now. an d

all right, we're back, now and we are tracking hurricane ian, a dangerous category 3 with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles an hour. the live pictures you're looking at right now, this is from a camera that is set up at key west, which is the

southernmost point in th

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so tonight, an american mountaineer and one of the most famous explorers in the world was missing. one of the highest peaks in the himalayas. for one number of mother of, to a pioneer in her sports. legend and the veteran of more than 40 ski mountain expeditions worldwide. the apparel company that northwest, one of nelson's sponsors, confirmed that she went missing on monday during a skiing and exploring exposition and the. metsola, and the world's highest eight mountain, and her partner. they reached a summit and began the dissent when she fell. it is unknown if she survives, but the search and rescue operation is underway. hillary nelson's career spans more than two decades, in 2012, she became the first woman to climb the world's highest peak, mount everest, as s well as the

adjacent mountain, lots, and 24 hours. in 2018, she was named a national geographic adventurer of the year. after summiting pop sarah, a mountain of india known as the peak of evil fulfilling the 20-year goal. as rescue efforts continue my thoughts go out to the family, and all who love and admire hilaree nelson. we will continue to update you on the progress of this. we will right back.

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