[Natalie Allen, Cnn Anchor:] Dorian is now a category 4 hurricane as it powers toward the Bahamas and Florida. We have the latest on the storm's path.
[George Howell, Cnn Anchor:] And protesters coming together right now in Hong Kong, this despite a police ban following the arrest of seven activists.
[Allen:] We're also learning more details about why President Trump's long-time assistant is suddenly out of her job. Welcome to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world, coming to you live from Atlanta. I'm Natalie Allen.
[Howell:] I'm George Howell from CNN World Headquarters. NEWSROOM starts right now.
[Allen:] People in Florida are preparing for the worst as a monster storm heads their way. In a 24-hour period, Hurricane Dorian went from a category 1 to an extremely dangerous category 4, with maximum sustained winds of 140 miles an hour or 220 kilometers.
[Howell:] It's still not known exactly where that storm will make landfall. But right now it's projected to hit near Melbourne, Florida. That's on Tuesday. And then go up the coastline. Here is a look at the storm from a hurricane hunter aircraft. A hurricane warning is already in effect for the northwestern Bahamas. The prime minister there has issued evacuation orders for some locations ahead of the storm.
[Allen:] Meantime, evacuations in two Florida counties take effect Sunday. The governor is warning people to prepare now.
[Rep. Ron Desantis , Fla:] We anticipate a lot of rain. Losing power is a big probability. You're also, if you're in an area prone to flooding, you're likely to see that with this storm. It's really, really significant and you need to take precautions.
[Howell:] The U.S. president is monitoring everything from Camp David. Here's what he had to say earlier as he left the White House.
[Trump:] The hurricane is roaring and it could be a big one. We're hoping it maybe makes a right and goes up north but that's about a 5 percent chance. It's not looking good. And it's one of the biggest hurricanes we've seen in a long time, a long time. So it could be very devastating.
[Allen:] With the uncertainty over where the storm might land, the entire state of Florida is preparing for the worst and, of course, hoping for the best.
[Howell:] That's right. Our Martin Savidge has more on the urgent preparations there.
[Unidentified Male:] Come on, guys, all the way down.
[Martin Savidge, Cnn National Correspondent:] All of Florida is under a state of emergency and the clock is ticking.
[Unidentified Male:] Biggest concern about this storm is the uncertainty of where it is going and the intensity of which it is coming in.
[Savidge:] Hurricane Dorian now expected to barrel head first into the sunshine state early Tuesday morning is gaining intensity and could now unload heavy rains, powerful winds and a strong storm surge on more than 20 million people.
[Unidentified Female:] I'm a little concerned that it's getting more and more concerned about what category and what is going to happen because I've never seen a hurricane.
[Savidge:] Florida's governor said he's contemplating ordering evacuations. But hasn't yet.
[Gov. Ron Desantis:] At the state level, you know we've been monitoring some of the decisions or contemplations about evacuations. It is something that we obviously believe, you know, for certain people it's going to be necessary and in certain communities they're going to need to do that.
[Savidge:] But getting out could prove difficult. While there are long lines at gas stations, there is little gas. The state says at times as many as half of the fuel pumps in Miami have run dry.
[Desantis:] Starting today implementing Florida highway patrol escorts for fuel trucks so we can facilitate refueling in critical parts of the state.
[Savidge:] Those who aren't gassing up are preparing to hunker down.
[Deborah Thomas, West Palm Beach Resident:] I live in a mobile home so I stand to be homeless but that is not really what is worried me. I have animals. I could replace my home but I can't my animals.
[Savidge:] In Miami, they're stockpiling food and water.
[Unidentified Male:] How are you doing?
[Unidentified Female:] How are you?
[Savidge:] Though at some stores that is also in short supply. Florida Power and Light says electricity could be out for days. The company is bringing in 16,000 workers, positioning them at 24 sites across the state.
[Desantis:] The damage that could be required will require extended repair work and at extreme cases it may require FPL to rebuild parts of the system here in Florida.
[Savidge:] And tonight, Florida's governor is warning those caring for the elderly to have a plan and a generator in place. 12 people died in 2017 after a nursing home in Hollywood, Florida, lost power in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
[Desantis:] These folks have got to have got to step up and protect these folks.
[Savidge:] More than a dozen universities preparing to shut down along with theme parks and other attractions. In a place that thrives on tourism, what should have been a busy Labor Day weekend is now a bust as the Sunshine State braces for days of rain.
[Unidentified Female:] We're hoping that everything comes out OK. But I'm kind of freaking out.
[Allen:] Joining me now by phone is William Capote, mayor of Palm Bay, Florida. Mayor, thanks very much for joining us because we know this is a very busy time. When you saw that this hurricane is now a category 4, what was your reaction?
[Mayor William Capote, Palm Bay, Florida:] Wow. Here we go again. Matthew, that's the first thing that came to mind. Not so much Irma, because Irma came from the Keys. But Matthew had the similar trajectory. And luckily, it veered into the ocean 25 and missed us. But we felt the winds then.
[Allen:] What's the trajectory as you see it now? Models have it going all over the place. It looks like much of Florida could be blanketed. But what is the trajectory for Palm Bay right now?
[Capote:] We're in that line, because that room for error, I think maps would show Brevard County in that red. That could be from south Florida to here. One time they were talking about Vero Beach all the way to Daytona. Now they've gone as far down as Jupiter and West Palm Beach. So it's all over the place at this time. But I believe that, to include my city, we declared a state of the city emergency today around 9:30. And we're buckling down to make sure that our residents are safe and that we're ready for whatever comes.
[Allen:] How have people been preparing? And do you think there will be a mandatory evacuation at some point?
[Capote:] The barrier islands, I believe they're going make that call rather quickly, because the storm now is at 4. And they don't want to risk anything. So I believe, by Sunday, the order will come through for mandatory evacuation of the barrier islands. We're more inland in a sense. We're right on the Indian River Lagoon. But then you have the barrier islands on A1A, the Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Satellite Beach.
[Allen:] Right. And what kind of weather are you seeing there right now?
[Capote:] Oh, right now, I mean, we've been getting a lot of rain lately but it's been sunny today but then you get little showers here and there. It's Florida. And it's rainy season. So you kind of take it as it comes. You have to take the sun with the rain. It's just when the hurricanes show up, it's a different perspective.
[Allen:] Right. And you're talking about you're a little bit inland. But we've been hearing over and over again that what could be really devastating about this storm is that it is a slow mover.
[Capote:] Yes. It reminds me of when Fay came here back in 2008-'09 timeframe. We've had our share of tropical storms, hurricanes. And it dumped a lot of water. I believe, if it stays around for that much, it's not so much the winds as so much the water. Where is the water going to go? And that's the question.
[Allen:] William Capote, thank you so much.
[Capote:] Thank you for having me.
[Howell:] At least 10 teenagers were hurt when someone started shooting at a high school football game in Mobile, Alabama. Five victims are said to be in critical but nonlife-threatening condition.
[Allen:] Police say one person suffered a seizure. Another was injured while trying to get away. Two people have been detained. They're being questioned by police. That's all we know right now.
[Howell:] Hong Kong pro-democracy movement, it is very much alive, despite some high-profile arrests that happened this week and now protesters have a message for Beijing, that they're refusing to be intimidated.