In September of 1938, a great storm rose up on the coast of West Africa and began making its way across the Atlantic Ocean. The National Weather Bureau predicted it would blow itself out at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, as such storms usually did. The coastal forecast from New York to Maine called for "fresh southerly winds" with some cooler, rainy weather. But the storm didn't blow itself out at Cape Hatteras. It suddenly began an unexpected sprint north along the coast. No one had ever seen a storm like this. The storm without a name turned into one of the most devastating storms recorded in North America. Over 600 people were killed. Another hundred were never found. Property damage was estimated at $300 million -- over 8,000 homes were destroyed, 6,000 boats wrecked or damaged. This American Experience film chronicles the lives of fishermen, residents and vacationers on the day before the storm, and follows their stories through one of the greatest natural disasters to befall the eastern seaboard.