if you want to see ongoing coverage in realtime go to nbcbayarea.com and follow our reporters online, twitter, facebook. again, though, we invite you to join us tonight for the news beginning at 4:30. until then, good afternoon. nbc news daily is next. hi, everyone. i'm kate snow. >> i'm aaron gilchrist. "nbc news daily" starts right now. today is thursday, september ian's impact, entire neighborhoods in florida submerged. millions without power. we're live across the state with a firsthand look at the devastation. desperate search. emergency crews are scouring disaster zones pulling people stranded on roofs and trapped in cars. how people are risking their own

lives to help their neighbors. and ian is now a tropical storm but it's threatening to become a hurricane for a second time. the updated timeline that millions need to know. we begin this hour with tropical storm ian, now called tropical storm, churning in the atlantic off the northeast coast of florida. >> still looking at some of the images coming in. part of the focus is shifting from the southwestern part of the state in terms of active weather that's happening. we're looking more at the northeast now and flooding that's happening in that part of florida and beyond. ian has weakened, but it is still posing a major threat of heavy rain and high water. >> ian moving east into the atlantic, but it is expected to veer again northward taking aim -- and eastward taking aim at georgia and the carolinas. when that happens, it could strengthen back into a hurricane. i might have said that wrong.

it's supposed to veer west and then come back towards the coast. forgive me for the geography, but it is headed towards south carolina. >> this is such a dire situation for all the places that have already been impacted by ian. look at this section of causeway that connects sanibel island near fort myers to the mainland of florida. that road collapsed. people who didn't get out in time are stranded now. >> meteorologist bill karins is tracking the storm and where it's going next. >> first we want to go to shaquille brewster. the number of people in florida who still don't have electricity, 2 plus million. what is the situation as of now in jacksonville? >> a small fraction of that number here in jacksonville. just about 6,500 people without power according to the latest update. there's still the consistent rain and wind in the jacksonville area as hurricane ian, now tropical storm ian makes its way north.

the devastation across the state of florida is becoming more clear. >> reporter: millions without power in florida today. >> whoa. >> as ian now downgraded to a tropical storm wallops the state as one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the united states. trees cashed through homes in the tampa area, why traffic lights fell down right in front of cars. homes were shredded in placida, florida. in naples, power lines burst into flames. this web cam captured the storm surge in fort myers. and with entire communities under water, good samaritans raced to help. this cameraman reporting for 7 news australia dropped everything to help these families across the water. while this group of do-gooders rescued an elderly man trapped in surging waters. >> we do anticipate a lot of the