♪ >> whit: good morning, america. dangerous storm threat. california bracing for life-threatening high surf after a rogue wave crashes ashore. the clearer picture of the damage. >> the whole first floor was destroyed. >> whit: fueled by a large storm system, waves could reach as high as 40 feet on one of the busiest travel days of the year sparking fears of travel delays. the situation at the airports

and on the roads right now. >> gio: on alert, the countdown to new year's eve. >> happy new year! >> gio: law enforcement across the country ramping up security ahead of any possible threats. the expanded measures. our live reports from times square and the site of the ball drop. >> stephanie: migrant crisis. the pleas for help from mayors in major cities overwhelmed by busloads of asylum seekers, turning to the federal government for support. with the texas governor accused of cruel and inhumane politics, his response this morning. >> whit: "monday night football" on a saturday. the big switch for the holiday weekend, but no calendar confusion here as former super bowl champ ryan clark previews the action and talks the big bowl games. ♪ baby love, my baby love ♪ >> gio: and baby love. we threw janai a baby shower to remember. now she's filling us in.

>> janai: the cheeks on this little guy are unreal. >> gio: on her latest bundle of joy. >> whit: good morning, america. how great is that video of mom and baby? >> gio: so great. >> whit: we've been waiting for it. >> stephanie: yes, so happy to see them. >> whit: we've been waiting for it. there she is giving us an update on her expanded family. we'll have much more of that coming up later on in the show. stephanie ramos back with us. good to have you. >> stephanie: thank you. >> whit: we have a lot to cover this morning. the countdown to 2024, new york's times square filled with confetti, but this was a test run for the big night when 3,000 pounds will shower on the revelers, and major security preparations under way there and across the country for new year's eve. >> stephanie: how do you volunteer for the test run? that's interesting. with many americans getting ready to gather for celebrations, respiratory infections are on the rise. we have a look at the latest numbers. >> gio: important there, but first team coverage of the

holiday weekend from a powerful storm threat to the new year's eve forecast to the travel crush as millions return from their holiday destinations. we're going to begin here with will carr in california, where they are bracing for more high surf, after that rogue wave caused a lot of damage and even injuries. good morning, will. >> reporter: good morning, gio. another dangerous day ahead here. we are inside of an inn in ventura that backs up against the ocean, and that rogue wave swept through this building. check out this damage, this bathroom destroyed. as you walk into this room, it quite literally looks like that wave brought parts of the ocean and the beach here. you've got the sand, the dirt, and you can see just how high the water is. amazingly, this hotel was at full capacity. nobody here washurt as we're facing another day of extreme weather. >> oh, no. oh. >> reporter: this morning, california bracing for another

round of storms as waves up to 25 feet and coastal flooding remain a threat for a large part of the state. officials racing to protect homes and businesses building massive sand berms after that rogue wave swept through ventura thursday. >> we're ready for the heavy surf advisory that's going to be goin on through saturday, and high tide should be coming in right around 10:00. >> reporter: waves smothering judy thomas' inn in sand and mud. >> i mean, the whole first floor is destroyed. >> reporter: a wall of water sweeping people off their feet, damaging cars, this garage crushed. authorities shutting down the entire coastline in ventura county after more than a dozen rescues including this one caught on camera. two people racing to save a lifeguard from the power of the water. at least eight people rushed to the hospital. amazingly, nobody was killed. >> things can be replaced. things can be rebuilt, but people can't. >> reporter: here in southern

california, we have a high surf warning through the end of the day, and in northern california we could see some massive waves, isolated waves up to 40 feet tall, guys. so quite dangerous scenario. gio. >> gio: just incredible, and let's hope everyone stays safe. all right. will, thank you. from you in california, let's go over to somara at the new year's eve ball in times square with more on weather for the west coast and a look at the forecast as we ring in the new year. good morning, somara. >> somara: good morning, gio. it's pretty cold and dry here on the east coast but for our friends out west, a different story. they've been getting hit with a series of storms that have been prompting powerful waves leading to life-threatening rip currents, as well as coastal flooding. so here's what they're in for today. from oregon down to the southern california coastline we have high surf alert, even further inland with the storm we have winter weather advisories where they do see three to six inches in higher elevations, powerful

winds and heavy rainfall. 20 to 40-foot waves is what they're seeing. good news, we should see a decrease by 10 to 20 this afternoon. still dangerous but lower nonetheless. east coast, things have been quiet and could see a few snow showers earlier as we head inland but this afternoon things dry out and then we prepare for the next system that will dive into the great lakes as we head through your sunday. now, by midfight on monday morning, check out where the snow is, states like pennsylvania, upstate new york and new york city we're actually going to see a few spotty showers, maybe even some drizzle so if you're planning on heading down to see the ball drop in times square, keep that in mind. not a ton of range to worry about but definitely a few showers. as far as the rest of the country goes, things are looking pretty quiet. that's a look at your forecast. >> whit: your coat looks very warm and toasty. so you're all bundled up. thank you, somara.

we'll check back in in a little bit. we do turn now to the big holiday return, and millions of travelers driving or flying home this morning. abc's reena roy is at laguardia airport with the latest on the travel rush. reena, good morning. >> reporter: hey, whit, good morning to you. yeah, you can see people are already showing up here at the airport behind us early this morning, and let me tell you, it is expected to be very busy over the next couple of days at airports around the country, and with such a large crush of people, and, of course, some of that severe weather that we just heard about, travelers have already been facing issues. today already hundreds of delays and the tsa says it's been steadily busy this holiday season with 2.4 million passengers or more each day since the 20th. they tell us that's more than last year and for a longer sustained period of time, and because of that, guys, airlines are breaking records. united saying that this will be their busiest end of year travel season ever, offering nearly 4,000 flights each day, and the next big day at airports will be the travel home on new year's day.

roads are also expected to be congested, especially today. aaa saying there will be a lot of traffic out there. analysts saying travel times could be up to 20% longer with double the delays, guys, in major metro areas like denver, minneapolis, and d.c., and if you are planning on getting behind the wheel, experts say the best time to do that is before lunch or after 7:00 p.m. stephanie. >> stephanie: good heads-up, reena, thank you so much. now to law enforcement across the country on high alert, ahead of new year's celebrations. abc's phil lipof is in times square with a look at the security preparations under way for the big ball drop. good morning, phil. >> reporter: stephanie, good morning to you. people come from all over the world to celebrate new year's eve here in times square known as the crossroads of the world. new york city's mayor says it is a herculean effort just to secure this event, something he says his city does very well. this morning, the barricades are up, and the security plan in place. >> we know how to safeguard

events of this size. >> reporter: new york city preparing to host more than a million people in times square for the ball drop. this year with war raging between israel and hamas -- [ crowd chanting ] -- and pro-palestinian demonstrations here at home, law enforcement says it's operating with heightened awareness. in the last two months, protesters have disrupted the macy's thanksgiving day parade and the christmas tree lighting at rockefeller center. one noticeable difference this year, the security zone around the celebration will be expanding to give police a buffer zone. security plans in place from coast to coast for the big night. in philadelphia, a big weekend, an eagles game and then new year's eve. in las vegas, 400,000 people expected on the strip. police will be flying choppers low to spot any potential problems. one thing is for certain, law enforcement officials telling abc news' aaron katersky, they are ready. >> we cannot take second place.

we're always taking first place when it comes to something like this and being prepared and ready to respond, and hopefully we're going to prevent something from happening. >> reporter: new york governor kathy hochul says security will be tightened statewide, as well, especially at bridges, tunnels, and the airports using every available agency from the state police to the new york national guard. gio. >> gio: every available agency. all right, phil, thank you so much. now to growing concerns about escalating attacks in the red sea. abc news got a rare interview with the leader of the iranian-backed houthi rebels launching those attacks from yemen. foreign correspondent britt clennett is in tel aviv with the story. good morning, britt. >> reporter: good morning, gio. yeah, as the fighting in southern gaza intensifies, renewed fears of a wider war breaking out, a leader of the houthis, signaling to abc news, that the iran-backed group has no plans to stop attacks in the red sea.

this morning, dramatic images showing mass protests in support of gaza and yemen. these weekly rallies erupting since the war began. thousands of people taking to the streets in support of the palestinians. this comes as the "the uss mason" shot down more missile and drone attacks by iranian-backed militants in the red sea. the houthi rebels claim the strikes in the passage are in protest of israel's war against hamas. houthi leader mohammed ali al houthi sitting down for a rare interview, telling abc news that the group will escalate strikes on any ship linked to israel. "countries that attack us will be a legitimate target for us, such as the ships belongs to the usurping entity or heading to it." we seek to stop the aggression on gaza, says al houthi blaming president biden for seeking to expand the conflict. the white house telling abc news, the ambushes have nothing to do with the conflict in gaza. the houthis have fired blindly into the red sea targeting

vessels impacting over 40 countries around the world. now, the u.s. is leading an international task force so that commercial ships can flow freely through that crucial passage, but some major shipping firms like maersk and oil giant bp are still diverting vessels over safety fears. >> gio: all right, britt, and while we have you, with concerns growing about the region, destabilizing even further, secretary of state antony blinken has announced more military support for israel. >> reporter: that's right, gio. the state department has for the second time bypassed congress to green-light an emergency sale of weapons to israel. it's worth $147.5 million covering artillery shells and other equipment. meanwhile, the gaza death toll is growing by the day. more than 21,500 people killed according to the hamas-run health ministry. >> gio: britt clennett, thank you so much. whit. >> whit: gio, now to the latest devastating strikes in ukraine.

russian missiles and drones raining down across the country in the worst single attack since the war began. abc's lama hasan joins us with more. lama, good morning. >> reporter: yeah, good morning to you, whit. overnight ukraine retaliating for those devastating strikes unleashing more than 30 drones over western cities in russia including moscow killing at least one person and injuring four others, and as you said, this was a massive attack that russia launched with over 150 missiles and drones hitting more than six major cities in ukraine killing at least 39 people and injuring 160 others. now, take a look at this video showing the moment a missile exploded into a large fireball onto the roof of an apartment building in the capital kyiv, lighting up the sky. in dnipro multiple strikes hit a mall engulfing it in flames and smoke sending people running for their lives, and this maternity hospital also hit, the destruction devastating. this morning search and rescue services are still at those sites, so the death toll could rise.

president volodymyr zelenskyy saying russia used nearly every type of weapon in its arsenal, even in neighboring poland at least one russian missile was detected over its airspace for three minutes, then it vanished off the radar. there are now growing fears that russia will launch more attacks on new year's eve, stephanie. >> stephanie: so much destruction there in ukraine. lama, thank you so much. back here at home, the border situation is pushing some of america's cities to the brink as more buses of migrants arrive from texas. abc's morgan norwood is here now with the latest. morgan, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, stephanie. yeah, the city says these buses full of migrants came in without warning. now, police are planning to stake out all of this as the city prepares to take action against the bus companies to deter more unplanned drop-offs. this morning, more migrants arriving in new york city, bus after bus, at least six pulling into the city's port authority unannounced friday morning. less than 48 hours after mayor eric adams signed an executive order designed to slow the surge.

>> we're saying that between a certain period of time, you are allowed to drop off migrants in the city, but you're going to do it at the location that we specify, so we don't overtax our resources, our manpower. >> reporter: the mayor's sweeping executive order requires a 32-hour advance notice from bus companies with further restrictions on the hours they can drop off. the penalty for violations, possible misdemeanor charges, fines, and even buses being impounded. the mayor's office says more than 7,000 asylum seekers have arrived in new york city in just the past two weeks. other major cities also grappling with the surge, including big city leaders from chicago and denver calling for federal support to help manage the flow, accusing texas republican governor greg abbott of cruel and inhumane politics as he buses migrants across the country. >> the state of texas has a responsibility to connect with municipalities around the country to help address and to deal with this crisis. >> reporter: governor abbott firing back at the accusations,

his spokesperson telling abc news earlier this week, instead of attacking texas' efforts to provide relief to our overwhelmed border communities, these democrat mayors should call on their party leader to finally do his job and secure the border. it comes on the heels of talks between the u.s. and mexico this week when secretary of state antony blinken met with mexico's president to discuss ways to limit the swell of migrants at the southern border, but mexico's president is pressing the u.s. for more aid. meanwhile, the pressure for action is growing as a caravan of thousands moves through mexico toward the u.s. border. we also know that homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas is headed to the southern border in eagle pass, texas, in the new year. on january 8th, he'll meet with customs and border protection along with local officials, gio. >> gio: so many watching this. all right, morgan, thank you so much. we are, of course, one day away from new year's eve, and much of the country is seeing a rise in respiratory illnesses including flu, covid, and rsv, and health officials are

watching a new covid variant. abc's em nguyen is here now with more on that. good morning, em. >> reporter: good morning, gio. great to see you. as families continue gathering ahead of new year's, doctors are warning of a spike in respiratory infections. hospitals across the nation are seeing an increase in cases for the flu, covid-19, rsv, and the common cold with 31 states including washington, d.c. experiencing high or very high levels of respiratory illness activity. the cdc estimates there have been more than 7 million infections and 4,500 deaths from the flu alone this season. the public health agency says flu infections are growing or likely growing in almost all states. but covid-19 remains the main driver of all viral respiratory deaths. covid hospitalizations have gone up for seven straight weeks reaching levels not seen since january, and adults over the age of 65 continue to be at the highest risk. this as the covid-19 subvariant

jn.1 is now the dominant strain in the virus in the u.s. it constitutes about 44% of all new covid infections according to the cdc, but it does not appear to cause more severe illness with tests, treatments, and vaccines all still working very well. tips from medical experts to stay healthy include staying home when sick, covering your cough, and practicing good hygiene, and doctors are urging everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible as it would still take about two weeks to reach full protection after a dose, whit. >> whit: all right, thank you, em, appreciate it. to the economy now, and wall street is jumping into 2024 on a high note. so, what are the expectations for the new year? abc's alexis christoforous is here now with more on that. alexis, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, whit. it seems nothing could hold the stock market down in 2023, not higher interest rates, a banking crisis, recession fears, or war in the middle east. stocks defied reason this year and turned in a blockbuster performance.

the s&p 500, which is tied to many americans' 401(k) retirement plans, shot up 24%. the dow climbed 14%. while a rally in tech stocks sent the nasdaq soaring 43%, investors are now hoping that momentum will carry over into the new year. the federal reserve has already signaled it may start cutting interest rates in 2024, as inflation cools off. that would, of course, make borrowing less expensive for consumers for things like credit cards, auto loans, and mortgage rates, which, by the way, are already trending lower. the 30-year fixed rate mortgage now averaging 6.61%. just two months ago it was above 8%. gas prices are lower heading into the new year with about half the country now paying less than $3 a gallon to fill up, and unemployment remains under 4%, and while it may be too soon to declare victory over inflation, most economists say 2024 has the makings of another very good year for stocks. guys.

>> stephanie: that sounds fantastic. thank you so much, alexis. it's really good to hear on this new year's eve weekend. >> gio: yeah. >> whit: it was the part that she said about defied reason, though that you got to be ready, prepared. >> stephanie: prepared. >> whit: absolutely. >> stephanie: well, it is time for weather. let's check in with somara theodore who is at the new year's eve ball looking like a christmas present. gorgeous. she said, i am not about to be cold out here. >> somara: it's freezing. it's freezing. i can see my breath. you know where else it's cold? florida. so, take a look at this. this is lauderdale-by-the sea, there temperatures are in the 50s, so they are below average for this time of year. for this time of year, still, though, it looks absolutely gorgeous. now, i will say it's not just lauderdale-by-the-sea, northern florida as well is getting in an on the chill. jacksonville, how are you guys doing? feeling like 32 this morning. they have a frost advisory in place, that's not the greatest for the crops or anyone out and about pretty early. these temperatures only warming to the upper 50s or at least

the windchills, guys. these are windchills you're looking at, what >> somara: and that's your local forecast. my friends, back to you. >> gio: i remember when i lived in miami, somara. i remember i would put that scarf on when the temperature reached, like, 50 degrees. >> whit: that's a cold snap. >> stephanie: 65. >> gio: all right, yep. thank you, somara, appreciate it.

there is controversy ahead of this year's rose bowl matchup between alabama and michigan. both teams are restricting their players from viewing game film on their personal devices. coaches have been told players, they cannot -- to watch film only in groups and on protected devices. the precautions come in the wake of the sign-stealing allegations against the wolverines this fall. head coach jim harbaugh was suspended for the final three games of the regular season. he's denied any wrongdoing. there's much more football talk ahead on "gma" when we talk to super bowl champion and analyst ryan clark with a preview of the big weekend matchups including the lions who are taking on the cowboys after a big win last week. all right. we've got a lot more ahead here including ohio's governor. he's vetoed a bill passed by his own party that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender children. >> stephanie: and a deep dive into the political headlines of the week. (vo) the love that goes into a subaru comes out when subaru and our retailers share the love. one hundred and sixteen thousand animals supported.

thirty-three hundred wishes granted. four point three million meals provided. and over four hundred national parks protected. be a part of something bigger. get a new subaru during the share the love event and subaru and our retailers will donate three hundred dollars to charity. get one point nine percent apr financing on select new 2024 outback models during the subaru share the love event. ♪ my cable internet bill exploded! that's some yada yada. but, metro has 5g home internet for $20, if you're eligible. with no exploding bills and nada yada yada. good. i'm tired of rearranging these. 5g home internet for $20. only at metro. yeah,we love our house, but the cost 5g home internet for $20. of home ownership has been a struggle. with utility prices rising and... [ sad violin playing ] sweetie, can you practice that somewhere else? anyway, like i was saying, it's getting harder [ somber music playing ] and harder to make ends meet and... hon, do you mind? well, on the bright side, new customers [ angelic choir singing ] who bundle and save with progressive save over 20 percent on average.

sorry, we let them practice here on thursdays! sounding good, friends! the target clearance run is on. dash in now for savings up to 50% on select clothing and shoes for everyone, plus beauty and personal care and their favorite toy brands. don't miss the target clearance run. did you know most dish soaps don't remove all the grease, even with scrubbing? whaaat? i just cleaned those. try dawn platinum. it removes 99% of grease and food residue. that's why dawn is trusted to save wildlife affected by oil. dawn platinum cleans to the squeak. new features in the weightwatchers app just dropped! i've lost 60 pounds and i can still enjoy all of the foods i love. small changes lead to big results. weightwatcher's new app features can make your weight loss journey easier, so all you gotta to do, is you. join weightwatchers today.

some migraine attacks catch you off guard, but for me a stressful day can trigger migraine attacks too. that's why my go to is nurtec odt. it's the only migraine medication that can treat and prevent my attacks all in one. don't take if allergic to nurtec. allergic reactions can occur even days after using. most common side effects were nausea, indigestion and stomach pain. now i'm in control. with nurtec odt i can treat a migraine attack and prevent one. talk to your doctor about nurtec today. [♪] talk to your doctor looking for better hydration at half the price? try curél ultra healing lotion. the dermatologist-tested formula contains an advanced ceramide complex, and provides 2-times more hydration at half the price. try curél.

why do dermatologists worldwide recommend la roche-posay? effective skincare like la roche-posay double repair face moisturizer delivers double-action to help repair skin's barrier and provide 48-hour hydration for healthy-looking skin. la roche-posay. you are such a good listener, thomas. it makes me feel so special. you are. you are special. if you don't mind, if you could just... this makes me feel really special too because you know, discover is giving me cash back on debit. not just credit. actually, discover gives cash back on debit... to everyone. everybody? everybody. if you could just tap... what about debbie johns? all those years that i couldn't find my bike, it was in her garage. like she gets it? if she has discover cashback debit then...yeah. introducing discover cashback debit: a checking account with cash back for everyone.

gloria rodriguez, new this morning a crash involving police in san francisco. video from the scene shows a mangled patrol car and another vehicle flipped on its side. the suv appears to be a government vehicle. the accident happened overnight on keith street and costa avenue. it's unclear what caused the crash, and we don't know if anyone was hurt. we are waiting for an update from san francisco police. now let's get a preview of your weather with lisa. arjun. good morning. lisa. hey gloria. >> still wet out there. a narrow band of showers from marin county, even up towards sonoma. all the way down to the san mateo coast. about to get pretty wet here in san francisco. also along highway one, we'll keep our level one system throughout the morning hours. then we dry out and dry for new year's eve and new year's day. >> thank you lisa, and thank you for joining us. the

...thanks to dupixent. dupixent is not for sudden breathing problems. it's an add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. and can help improve lung function for better breathing in as little as two weeks. dupixent helps prevent asthma attacks... and can even reduce or eliminate oral steroids. imagine that. dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. get help right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. who knows what you can do when you du more with less asthma. ask your doctor about dupixent. the most prescribed biologic for asthma.

this is guaranteed to have a blow-out. >> gio: oh, no. and welcome back to "gma" on this saturday morning. we had a little fun for janai there. baby shower last month. now, she is back on diaper duty. the real kind this time, though. we've got a special message from her coming up. so much fun, so happy. >> whit: that was a blast. we're very excited. looking forward to more on that. first, though, let's take a look at the other big stories

we're following on this saturday morning. ohio's republican governor mike dewine vetoing a bill passed by his own party that would ban gender-affirming care for transgendered minors. dewine saying, the bill suggests the government knows better than parents about what is medically best for their child. the bill also would ban transgender athletes' participation in girls and women's sports. >> gio: an urgent manhunt in colorado for a mother accused of killing two of her children. colorado springs police responded to kimberlee singler's home last week where they found a 9-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy dead. singler and her 11-year-old daughter were hurt and rushed to the hospital. singler was allowed to leave the hospital, because she was not considered a suspect at the time. she's set to face murder and attempted murder charges. >> stephanie: and to sports. the detroit pistons need to bank a win tonight to snap a record-breaking losing streak. destroy now ties the record with 28 losses in a row. tonight, the team faces off against the toronto raptors. it is a must win for detroit. one more loss, guys, and the team will clinch the league's all-time record for consecutive losses.

guys don't want that title. the last time detroit won a game was october 28th against the chicago bulls. good luck. >> gio: very exciting there. absolutely. okay. we're going to start this half hour here with a closer look at the top political headlines this week, and joining us are abc news political director rick klein and for the first time here on "gma" saturday contributing political correspondent rachael bade. welcome to the show. >> whit: good morning, welcome. >> gio: absolutely. all right, rick, let's start with you, and let's talk about donald trump. maine and colorado both removing him from the primary ballots, and then you're talking about other states perhaps trying to do the same, but then you have some republican-led states that are trying to remove president biden from the ballot. what's going on here? it seems like a mess. >> yeah, it's chaos. i mean, we're only two weeks away from the voting starting and don't know for sure who will be on the ballot, and who's not going to be on the ballot. as a legal matter the supreme court has to take this up pretty quickly to settle it and give some kind of a nationwide standard, some guidance to states.

but as a political matter, it's not cutting the way you might think. you might think that the other republican candidates would love not to have to face donald trump. actually all of trump's opponents, including chris christie who is critical of trump, think this is a bad decision and think it should be left to voters, and this is just feeding trump's argument and could work better for him politically because it feeds the idea that this is somehow rigged and the other republican candidates either willingly or not willingly are kind of playing into that narrative as we go into january. >> whit: and speaking of some of those other republican candidates, rachael, let's bring you in here, nikki haley had this momentum coming in to christmas, and then she's asked a seemingly simple question about the cause of the civil war, leaves out the word slavery, facing this backlash now. she's tried to clarify, but what could this do to her campaign down the stretch? >> yeah, talk about shooting yourself in the foot at the wrong time. this gaffe couldn't have come at a worse time for nikki haley. she's had this momentum, as you mentioned, in her campaign, overtaking ron desantis in the

early states, seeing her polling going up. this could really stall that and make voters, alienate voters looking for a republican to vote for who is not named donald trump and also very much feeds into this criticism that people who don't like her have about her, that she is wishy-washy on things like abortion and her position on donald trump, that she doesn't answer questions directly, and that she's just trying to be all things to all people, and that's why you see people like chris christie, ron desantis really seizing on this blunder to try to halt her momentum at this critical time right before voters head to the polls. >> stephanie: so many of the candidates trying to seize on that moment. rick, with the voting in iowa and the iowa caucuses starting january 15th, what's the predicted game plan for those trying to stop trump? >> yeah, it's not easy. none of these candidates have a direct opportunity or lane to say i can beat him if only this happens, but it does start in the early states. ron desantis is all in on iowa

and has got the support of prominent evangelical leaders and if he's able to finish a strong second, he can make the case he's the one to face down trump. new hampshire is just eight days later, there's an abc debate right in between and a big opportunity for nikki haley and chris christie, pressure on chris christie maybe to drop out before that. he says he's not going to do it. the two are battling it out to have one person standing against trump once again, but even if one of those things happens, there's no guarantees here. donald trump is up so big in polling, he could easily have this nomination wrapped up by march if things stay the way they are right now. of course, we always know to expect the unexpected. >> gio: and i know you will keep looking at all the numbers. rachael, let's go back to you. what are the surprises that you're looking for in 2024? >> so hard to predict in politics these days. two things, first of all i'm watching which candidates drop out and where their voters go. the nikki haley folks, her allies have this theory that if ron desantis does poorly in iowa, he'll drop out. his voters will actually go to her and give her the momentum from new hampshire. rick mentioned chris christie is

also under this pressure to drop out. it's not an unfair bet that if he does, his voters would swing to nikki haley, who has similar politics. can the fall of both of these men sort of be the thing to boost her to be a real threat to donald trump and, of course, on the other hand here we have to keep an eye on donald trump's legal issues, right? if he is convicted in any of these criminal trials across the country, that would totally upend the political world as we know it and scramble 2024 and make all of this entirely unpredictable again. >> whit: we do know in iowa anything can happen. >> gio: yep, anything can happen. >> whit: it'll be -- and just two weeks left before we get to it, so should be interesting. thank you both. we really appreciate it. >> gio: that's right, rachael bade and rick klein, thank you so much. time for the weather and somara theodore back at the new year's eve ball. what's going on up there? >> somara: oh, i'm getting this party started. i'm here at the much revered crystal ball where they have 32,256 l.e.d. lights in this. this is going to drop at midnight tomorrow, ringing in

the new year 2024, which i might add i was here earlier this week, and i made sure we switched out that 3 with a 4, so we're all ready to go, baby. let's see how it will feel for our friends across the country at midnight tomorrow. if you live in new york city or coming here to see the ball drop, it's going to be cold. temperatures will be in the upper 30s. i want you to dress warmly, layer up because we are anticipating it to feel much colder, and there could be a few drizzles out here, but i wouldn't worry too much about it. if you live in new orleans, low 50s out that way. so, overall much of the country is actually looking pretty quiet and dry for our new year's eve. that's a l >> somara: do i look like i'm

really confident and comfortable, because we are 26 stories up. look at that, guys. this is crazy. >> whit: you look warm. that much we know. like a big red pillow. love that. >> gio: big red pillow. >> whit: all right. thank you, somara. we'll check back with you in a bit. starting the new year off as a multimillionaire. how about courtesy of the powerball. >> whit: thank you, samar ra. check back with you in a bit. starting the new year off as a multimillionaire. how about courtesy of the powerball. . slow down!... i mean (coughs) slow down! ahh! watch it! ♪ come on! a hero will answer the call... (laughs) you just have to answer the door. oof! that was fast. ♪ mucinex available on doordash. ahh! it's comeback season. the right age for neutrogena® retinol? that's whenever you want it to be.

it has derm-proven retinol that targets vital cell turnover, evens skin tone, and smooths fine lines. with visible results in just one week. neutrogena® retinol

go to old navy and you'll save a toboggan full of buckaroonies. it's a real baddabing- baddaboom situation. right now, get up to 70% off clearance only at old navy. look, this deal is a steal. and so is the toboggan. i know, because i stole it!

♪ >> stephanie: welcome back to "gma" and the multimillion dollar dream to start the new year. the powerball jackpot is growing, and abc's morgan norwood has been keeping track of tonight's drawing. welcome back again, morgan. how's it looking? >> hey, good morning. i know you didn't win. i didn't win. there's still good news, still hope to walk into 2024 a multimillionaire. the powerball jackpot climbing to an estimated $760 million for tonight's drawing, and the powerball fever is certainly growing across the country, and here's why. it's the fourth powerball jackpot to exceed 700 million just this year. now, someone in california,

remember, walked away with a 1.765 billion with a "b" dollar payday in october, and since then we've gone 33 consecutive drawings without a powerball winner. but all of that could change tonight. whoever takes the winnings will have a choice of 30 annual payments or a cash lump sum of $382.5 million. but finally, i've got the dream-crushing stat. the odds of winning, 1 in 292 million, so may the odds be in your favor. good luck. >> whit: never tell me the odds. >> gio: i know, why you got to end that way? >> stephanie: got to be in it to win it. >> gio: thank you, morgan. and good luck, everyone. coming up here on "good morning america," "monday night football" on a saturday. espn's ryan clark looks at the matchup and its very unusual timing. we'll be right back. you're watching "gma" saturday. timing. we'll be right back. than driving downhill. mors because just one sip of this delectable silky chicken ramen noodle soup will put an end to your drive-through dinner rituals.

it's time to bring out the cook in you and tell him to throw that glorious powder in that tasty silky combo of delightful carrots... (whispered): yummy ...luscious mushrooms, and a touch of bok choy. (whispered): good call. knorr taste combos. it's not fast food, but it's soooo good. ♪ ♪ the target clearance run is on. it dash in now for, b savings up to 50%. on select clothing and shoes for everyone, plus beauty and personal care and their favorite toy brands. don't miss the target clearance run. i'll be honest. by the end of the day, my floors...yeesh. but who has the time to clean? that's why i love my swiffer wetjet. it's a quick and easy way to get my floors clean. wetjet absorbs and locks grime deep inside. look at that! swiffer wetjet. with nurtec odt, i can treat a migraine when it strikes and prevent migraine attacks, all in one. don't take if allergic to nurtec. allergic reactions can occur, even days after using. most common side effects were nausea, indigestion, and stomach pain.

ask about nurtec odt. why do dermatologists worldwide recommend la roche-posay? effective skincare like la roche-posay double repair face moisturizer delivers double-action to help repair skin's barrier and provide 48-hour hydration for healthy-looking skin. la roche-posay.

from the state that's already helped millions of people like you get and pay for health insurance. with financial health to lower the cost of health coverage, you could get a quality health plan for less than $10 a month. every plan covers preventive care, doctor visits, emergency care, and more. if you have questions, we're here to help every step of the way. covered california. this way to health insurance. enroll by december 31 at coveredca.com.

>> whit: we are back now on "gma" with the big change-up as "monday night football" moves to tonight, saturday night. bear with me here. it's because of college football bowl games are being played on new year's day. all right? now that you got that, let's get some football analysis with espn analyst and super bowl champion ryan clark. ryan, good morning to you. it's great to have you. >> good morning, guys. you know, it's a long day for me now because nobody is going to push, you know, texas and washington and alabama and michigan out of the way, so we've got to do "monday night football" on saturday. >> whit: exactly. let's talk about the games. lions/cowboys. what do you make of the turnaround the lions have had under coach dan campbell? >> i mean, how amazing is this. you know, dan campbell takes this job, it's a terrible team, he talks about biting kneecaps on his way up from being knocked out.

they have a three-win season, and then now you look at this team. this team has won the nfc north, and there's been such a progression of not only professionalism, but great play by this team, and you love to see where they are. detroit deserves a winner, but i think dan campbell has put an imprint on everything that the detroit lions are. >> whit: and the cowboys have lost two straight games. how does dak prescott turn that around? >> you know, dak prescott is playing at an mvp level. you go back to last week and that drive before the miami dolphins are able to get down and kick a field goal was an mvp-level drive. dak prescott made every single play you would ask your quarterback to make, and he's been leading this team the entire year. they're back at home where they average 39 points per game, and we have to see that sort of output by this offense. but to me, it's on the defense to not only stop the detroit lions, but turn the football over, give dak prescott a short

field and watch him work, because the entire season, dak has shown us that he's a top tier quarterback, a top tier leader, but he needs everyone around him to step their game up if the dallas cowboys are going to win today or hope to make any noise in the playoffs. >> whit: all right. next up here, we've got the ravens, the dolphins matchup, two mvp quarterback candidates. >> yeah. >> whit: going head to head. how do you see this playing out? >> i mean, when you look at what the ravens were able to do against the san francisco 49ers on monday, it's hard to see anyone beating this team right now. lamar jackson is on his way to his second mvp, winning the first in 2019, and i think this year is just more impressive because of the way that he's adapted. tua tagovailoa and the miami dolphins need this win. if they get this win, they keep themselves alive for a number one seed in the afc, and i think more than anyone, if they want a championship, they need to play those games in miami at hard rock, but i still don't believe they have enough to beat this baltimore team that is so complimentary, so complete, defense, offense, and special teams and obviously a great head

coach and super bowl champion john harbaugh. >> whit: all right, ryan clark, thank you so much. we always appreciate it. and, of course, you can catch the lions taking on the cowboys at 8:00 p.m. eastern on abc and espn, and then it's college football playoffs on new year's day on espn, and we'll be right back here with a very special "play of the day." we're talking about janai. baby pictures coming. stay tuned. ♪ if you're like me, one of the millions suffering from pain caused by migraine, nurtec odt may help. it's the only medication that can treat a migraine when it strikes and prevent migraine attacks. treat and prevent, all in one. don't take if allergic to nurtec. allergic reactions can occur, even days after using. most common side effects were nausea, indigestion, and stomach pain. relief is possible. talk to a doctor about nurtec odt. meet mixtiles. they stick, and re-stick. choose from dozens of sizes, frames,

and styles. go to mixtiles.com, upload pictures, pick a fancy frame, and voilà. use code "tv" and get up to 50% off. i'm steve, i lost 138 pounds in nine months on golo and taking release. since taking release, my sleep is way better. my inflammation has gone way down. i'm nonstop now, i feel way better than i did before. i don't sit down in life anymore. ♪ my cable internet bill exploded! that's some yada yada. but, metro has 5g home internet for $20, if you're eligible. with no exploding bills and nada yada yada. good. i'm tired of rearranging these. 5g home internet for $20. only at metro. dry skin is sensitive skin, too. and it's natural. treat it that way with aveeno® daily moisture. formulated with nourishing, prebiotic oat. it's clinically proven to moisturize dry skin for 24 hours. aveeno® i'm andrea, and this is why i switched to shopify. it gave me so much peace of mind. if we make a change, my site's

not going to go down. and just knowing that i have a platform that we can rely on, that is gold to us. start your free trial today. (retailer) what i feel in my heart during the subaru share the love event... ...it's just so rewarding. (woman) we believe in love. not just our customers... ...but also our community. (man) and the subaru share the love event is truly an example of that. (woman) over two hundred eighty-five million dollars donated is phenomenal. (retailer) it absolutely sets us apart... ...from all other car companies. (vo) right now, get a new subaru and subaru and our retailers will donate three hundred dollars to charity. get one point nine percent apr financing on select new 2024 outback models during the subaru share the love event.

centrum silver is now clinically shown to support cognitive health in older adults. it's one more step towards taking charge of your health. so every day, you can say, ♪ youuu did it! ♪ with centrum silver.

♪ ♪ >> gio: and we are back now with our "play of the day." this one makes us real happy. this is an update from our expanding "gma" family. janai sending us this beautiful picture there. her adorable baby boy. she and her husband welcoming their third child together, and janai sent us this message for you at home. take a look. >> janai: i am just loving being mom at home right now. this little guy is keeping me

very busy and watching how the two older kids are adjusting to life with him, it is just fantastic. like, i am really just grounded in gratitude and soaking up these moments. taking the first 40 days to just disconnect, go off the grid, you know, i'm just soaking up all of the love and the snuggles and, oh, these cheeks. the cheeks on this little guy are unreal. >> whit: the cheeks, so at home, so do you remember her baby shower here? janai explained she was following this tradition of cuarentana. taking 40 days to recover and bond with the baby. that's why many haven't heard from her, but now the big reveal, the baby boy, congratulations, janai, and the whole family. we're so excited for you. >> stephanie: absolutely. and it's very impressive to keep the outside world out for 40 days. i was texting her.

i was, like, girl, i'm about to show up at your house. if you don't reply back. >> gio: she had a tough time with it. she stuck through it and says it really, really helped her. we're just so happy. >> whit: that special bonding time. congratulations, and don't stay away too long. we do miss you here at "gma." we'll see you very soon. okay. we still have some more show to get to coming up in our second hour of "gma." the rise in rsv cases, and dr. sutton is joining us with a look at the areas getting hit the hardest and how to protect yourself from respiratory illnesses. >> stephanie: and our "gma" cover story. cases of alzheimer's hitting the hispanic community especially hard. the health factors that may be playing a part. >> gio: we'll be right back here on "gma." stay with us. " stay with us. finding solutions. this is abc

seven news. >> good morning. i'm gloria rodriguez. we are learning more th police officer killed in the line of duty. 36 year old tom lee was shot while he and other officers were responding to a burglary at a cannabis business at embarcadero and fifth yesterday. we are waiting for an update on any possible arrests. officer lee had worked for the department for four years for the past two years, he was a community resource officer and so many people tell us that lee was committed to keeping oakland safe and that losing him is heartbreaking. the chp is investigating a wreck in pacheco. it happened in heavy rain last night, trapping the driver. witnesses say that he hit several parked cars near bloom drive. the truck continued about 400 yards before striking a power pole and then overturn thing. the driver suffered moderate injuries. no word yet on what led to that crash, but officials say that weather is likely to be a factor. and

speaking of weather, let's get a check of your forecast for today with lisa argen. good morning lisa. hey gloria, our level one system with us throughout the morning hours, downpours from southern marin to san francisco, san mateo, the peninsula looking at some pretty good rain here for the next couple of hours while marin and sonoma don't see as much 24 hour totals from an inch and a half. >> santa rosa two and three quarters. ben lomond over an inch in oakland and over an inch in fremont. 54 san jose wet golden gate bridge looking at the high surf warning, the coastal flood warning through 2:00 and then we'll be looking at conditions drying out this afternoon into new year's eve, new year's day, more wet weather by wednesday. gloria >> thank you, lisa, and thank you for joining us. the news continues right now with good morning america

like, "what is your glucose?" and "can you have more carbs?" before you decide... with the freestyle libre 2 system know your glucose level and where it's headed. no fingersticks needed. manage your diabetes with more confidence. and lower your a1c. the number one doctor prescribed cgm. freestyle libre 2.

try it for free at freestylelibre.us ♪ >> gio: good morning, america. ♪ it's our second hour. super soaker. california bracing for more dangerous high surf, waves could reach as high as 40 feet as the damage and devastation from that rogue wave comes into focus. all fueled by a massive storm system, the very latest on all that rain and high winds still in the forecast. >> whit: holiday travel rush. millions on the move hitting the roads and taking to the skies but have crowds hit a peak or