i'm katie porter and i approve this message. >> whit: good morning, america. stormy sunday. severe weather in the south knocking trees into houses. lightning destroying this home. >> i was sitting on the couch in the living room, and lightning hit the house. >> whit: more than 20 million americans under weather alerts. rivers above floodstage with nearly a foot of snow expected

for parts of the northeast. our weather team with the forecast for your week ahead. >> gio: on the attack. president biden taking to the campaign trail in south carolina. trump rallying supporters in nevada. nikki haley saying trump's attacks are helping her. plus, the fight over a border deal. the latest reporting on what's being proposed. >> rhiannon: new developments in alex murdaugh's case amid claims of jury tampering. what happens next? as the disgraced attorney fights to have his double murder convictions overturned. >> whit: travel warnings. just ahead of spring break season, the u.s. government issuing advisories about popular destinations. what to know before you book your next vacation. ♪ go big or go home ♪ >> gio: and epic showdown. the nfl conference championships just hours away. chiefs versus ravens. the stars in the stands. taylor gets trolled.

which way will that cookie crumble? and 49ers versus the lions. some pre-game cuddle time and a plant supporting hometown heroes as we say -- >> both: good morning, america. let's go, lions. >> gio: rooting for the lions. good morning, america. >> rhiannon: how do you feel about that? >> whit: we'll let them have their moment, you know, for now. i'm kidding. >> gio: it is a good morning, america, on this sunday. rhiannon ally with us on the desk and the reason they were just saying that is because sit a big day for both of your teams, the chiefs and the 49ers. when you add in the ravens, they won a combined ten super bowls. if you love to root for the underdog, the lions are your team today in the conference championships. detroit has never appeared in the big game. >> rhiannon: you're cheering for the lions, i can tell. >> gio: somebody's got to do it. >> whit: they're a great team and a great story. >> gio: absolutely, absolutely. >> whit: but you know where our hearts are, that's that. >> gio: we are also keeping a close watch on a major teacher strike about to enter its second full week. close to 12,000 kids affected by

the walkout in newton, massachusetts. >> rhiannon: and look at these shocking images coming in overnight. activists taking aim at the famed mona lisa painting in paris, at the louvre, throwing soup on the glass there. >> whit: we begin with the weather across the country. millions of americans under weather alerts. somara theodore is here with the very latest. good morning. >> somara: another cross country storm has wreaked havoc through the south. the story continues as it makes its way northeast bringing them rain and tons of snow. this morning, severe thunderstorms leaving widespread damage in the south as flooding and snow moves into the northeast. >> like an earthquake, you know. an earthquake or a bomb going off. >> somara: in georgia, this 120-foot-tall 25-year-old tree crashing down on a home after days of rain left the ground saturated. >> it came through the bedroom upstairs and the hallway to get upstairs, so we've got a skylight now. >> somara: a massive crane brought in to lift the fallen

tree away. in florida, dark, menacing skies along the eastern coastline, rip current warnings along all of florida's atlantic coast beaches. >> i was sitting on the couch in the living room and lightning hit the house. >> somara: in the panhandle lightning striking this home, setting it ablaze. the roof ultimately collapsing. farther north, heavy rain expected to bring flash flooding. 15 million americans under flood watches in the mid-atlantic. more than 3 inches of rain expected in some areas. meanwhile, heavy snowfall expected through mid-day monday in the northeast, up to 10 inches could fall. in new york, dense fog lowering visibility in parts of buffalo and rochester to a quarter mile, and in indiana, the wabash river. 20 feet above floodstage. ice jams threatening to worsen flooding conditions. and the rain has already begun to fall in cities in the northeast, particularly baltimore, maryland. good morning. i heard there's a big, important game going on there today. we'll see periodic showers throughout the day in parts of maryland. if you look at the radar this

morning, you can see the waves of heavier rain now moving up i-95 into areas of philadelphia, new york, and new jersey. here is what's going to happen next. on the northern tier of the system, it's going to be cold enough to get some snow coming down. we have winter storm warnings for parts of massachusetts. that light pink area just outside of worchester, we could see 6 to 10 inches with the storm system. otherwise, mainly rain. tracking through the timing here, this afternoon around 3:00 p.m. is when you see the heaviest of the snow making its way into pennsylvania and new york and it looks like the storm system will be pulling out just in time for the morning commute for a lot along i-95. rhiannon? >> rhiannon: somara, thank you for that. let's head to washington now and the battle over border security and the efforts to handle the influx of migrants. abc's jay o'brien is on capitol hill with the latest on that. good morning. >> reporter: rhiannon, good morning. we're learning more this morning about what is exactly in a long-awaited bipartisan immigration deal that senators have been haggling over for weeks here on capitol hill, but any agreement still faces an uphill battle.

this morning, signs a bipartisan group of senators could announce a landmark immigration deal at any moment after months of talks. sources familiar with the negotiations telling abc news the deal gives the department of homeland security the authority to shut down the border. if migrant crossings or encounters surge beyond border patrol's capacity. asylum seekers would still be allowed through regular ports of entry. the bill would also speed up the processing of asylum claims. requiring cases be evaluated in six months. but this morning, signs any agreement is in jeopardy with donald trump continuing to pressure congressional republicans not to compromise, including last night at a rally in nevada. >> there is zero chance i will support this horrible open borders betrayal of america. >> reporter: in a new statement, house speaker mike johnson saying, president biden should use the legal authority he already possesses to crack down on illegal border crossings.

president biden telling lawmakers in a statement last week, if you're serious about the border crisis, pass a bipartisan bill, and i will sign it. >> stonewall tactics and attempts to sabotage negotiations before they even finish must be shunned. >> reporter: meantime, the biden administration locked in an escalating legal standoff with the state of texas over shelby park in eagle pass, nestled along the border and occupied for weeks by texas national guard troops. this weekend, texas' attorney general defying the department of homeland security's deadline to give border patrol agents unrestricted access to the park. after a divided supreme court this week allowed the federal government to resume removing razor wire, texas guardsmen installed in the area. >> trust me. we have more wire than they have wire covers. so the federal government needs to do their job. they haven't. >> reporter: back here on capitol hill, lawmakers already telling me that they're concerned that if this immigration deal sputters out, it could have serious complications for israel and

ukraine after congressional republicans demanded that military assistance to both those countries be linked to these ongoing immigration talks. rhiannon? >> rhiannon: yeah. we'll see how this affects the campaign as well. this is top of mind for a lot of voters as house republicans, jay, are moving ahead this week with impeaching homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas over his handling of the border. what are we expecting to come out of this? >> reporter: yes, the house homeland security committee are expected to release articles of impeachment about alejandro mayorkas' handling of the border this week again. dhs calls this baseless and a political stunt. the reality here is that speaker mike johnson has already vowed that this will go to a vote in the house soon, and it's expected to pass because republicans control that chamber. in the senate though, it would trigger a trial there, and the senate does not look likely to remove mayorkas from his job. whit? >> whit: all right, jay o'brien

for us, thank you. now to the presidential race and former president trump focusing on nevada this weekend. vice president harris is also there while president biden campaigns in south carolina. abc's white house correspondent maryalice parks joins us now from washington with the latest. maryalice, good morning. >> reporter: whit, good morning. yeah. the former president holding a rally in las vegas just a day after that jury in new york ordered him to pay $83 million in damages for defamation, and in south carolina, president biden talking mostly about investments in black communities and student loans, but also taking on trump directly. ready for a rematch, president biden on the campaign trail overnight focused on his predecessor. >> donald trump is a loser, and you're the reason we're going to win and beat him again. >> reporter: biden thanking a crowd of supporters in south carolina, the state that helped propel him to the democratic nomination four years ago. >> you're the reason donald

trump is a defeated former president. >> reporter: in las vegas, vice president kamala harris on offense too, reminding voters trump said he would be a dictator for a day. >> dictators jail journalists. dictators suspend elections. dictators take your rights. >> reporter: trump himself in las vegas as well. nevada next up in the republican primaries. >> it's time to finish this primary and get going. >> reporter: the former president campaigning just a day after a nine-person jury in new york this week ordered him to pay writer e. jean carroll $83 million in damages for maliciously defaming her. trump briefly referring to the decision -- >> look at yesterday. look at all this crap that's going on. but we keep marching forward. >> reporter: but his primary rival nikki haley weighing in. >> all that time that he's spending in a courtroom defending himself, he's not fighting for the american people.

[ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: back in nevada, trump supporters telling us they view him as a fighter. >> if people can't get over their dislike of trump, then they shouldn't be in the party. >> reporter: now trump has vowed to appeal last week's verdict, and in nevada again, we heard the former president bragging about trying to derail those bipartisan congressional talks on immigration saying the republicans should wait until after the election to work on the issue, but overnight biden was begging republicans to keep at the negotiating table and send him something he can sign now. whit? >> whit: maryalice parks, thank you so much. we appreciate it. now to the middle east and growing fears of a regional escalation. as the u.s. continues its military strikes against iranian-backed militants, martha raddatz spoke with general cq brown in his first broadcast interview since becoming chairman of the joint

chiefs. >> you said something about the deterrence that you want your enemy to know you would be the toughest guy in the fight. do you think that's what you're presenting right now? >> i think it's both. i know that they're our adversaries, and i would just say that iran and the middle east knows they don't want to be in a broader conflict with the united states, but we're also dealing with groups that are not a state actor, but i do -- and i'm confident we have the capabilities if there was a broader conflict we could respond, but we've also got to be thoughtful that we don't get ourselves into a broader conflict. >> whit: and martha will be hosting "this week" later this morning and she joins us now. good morning to you. it's always great to have you. what did general brown tell you about whether these u.s. strikes are actually working? >> martha: he said they have definitely reduced the capabilities of the houthis, but you have to look at the numbers. i mean, there have been so many attacks, dozens and dozens of attacks on commercial ships and

some targeting u.s. navy ships or shooting toward u.s. navy ships. he said they've reduced the capability of the houthis, but because there have only been fewer than a dozen retaliatory strikes, it can't be too many. they're mostly, whit, i think as you know, hitting missile launchers or missiles or storage facilities and the houthis have a lot of weapons, whit. >> whit: martha, you talked about deterrents and wanting to avoid a broader conflict. what about iran's role behind the scenes supporting these militant groups like the houthis? >> martha: he said he does not think iran wants to go to war with the united states and, in fact, i talked to iran's foreign minister this week as well who said the same thing, but he is walking this very fine line, general brown. as he said there, he doesn't want things to escalate. he doesn't want a wider war, and yet he wants these punishing strikes.

so it's very, very difficult walking that fine line, but as for iran, he said those people who say, look, you've got to be tougher on iran. he said, those people should think about the fact that it could be a wider war if that happens. >> whit: as you noted, the fine line and so much at stake. martha raddatz as always, thank you so much. we appreciate it. stay tuned to "this week" later this morning for more of martha's exclusive interview with the joint chiefs of staff chairman, general cq brown. plus, an exclusive interview with senator tim scott of south carolina to discuss his support for former president trump ahead of that state's primary. gio? >> gio: now to a major teacher strike entering its second full week now. 12,000 students caught in the middle, and the teachers' union may face big fines. abc's reena roy is here with more on that. good morning, reena. >> reporter: gio, good morning to you. thousands of students are still out of school as the teacher strike in newton, massachusetts, continues, and this is having a major impact with some families struggling to find child care,

with teachers on the picket line, about 12,000 students are out of class as you said. the school committee and teachers' union struggling to agree on compensation for teachers among other demands such as class size and mental health resources for students. the yuan saying teachers desperately want to be back in school, but that they need the school to work with them. school officials calling the strike unnecessary saying the union rejected a proposal to continue negotiations, and just some context here. strikes amongst public employees like teachers are actually illegal in massachusetts, and this strike is just the latest that we're seeing. larger school districts in places like los angeles and portland dealing with similar issues last year as teachers fight for better wages and benefits. whit? >> whit: thank you. now to taxes 411. what you need to know as filing season gets under way. abc's alexis christoforous is joining us now with a look at some things that you can still do to help keep your bill down.

alexis, good morning. >> reporter: that's right. good morning, whit. there are still some last-minute ways you can lower your 2023 tax bill. if you haven't already maxed out your traditional ira, you have until april 15th to make a contribution. the max allowed for 2023 is $6,500, $7,500 if you are over 50, but be sure to specifically allocate those funds for the 2023 tax year. otherwise they'll default to the current tax year, and don't leave tax credits on the table. see if you are eligible for things like the child tax credit, the earned income tax credit, or the american opportunity credit for college expenses, and if you bought a new electric vehicle last year, you may be eligible for as much as a $7,500 tax credit, $4,000 for used electric cars. there are restrictions on things like income, price caps, and manufacturing guidelines, and don't be afraid of deductions. for instance, schoolteachers can deduct up to $300 spent on

classroom supplies, and if you are self-employed, you can deduct your qualifying home office. if you earned $79,000 or less last year, file your federal taxes for free using irs free file. that matches you with an online tax prep company. some will even process your state return for free. if you can't file by the deadline, request a six-month extension by april 15th, but remember, an extension to file is not an extension to pay. you still have to do that unfortunately by april 15th. rhiannon? >> rhiannon: i didn't realize that. thank you, alexis. good advice there. let's talk about this wild weather here in the u.s. it keeps pounding parts. somara theodore here to talk about that. >> somara: in the northeast, we have the rain. whit, we know you're rooting for the 49ers. we've got some good weather. >> whit: sure am. >> somara: in fact, record-breaking weather. look at this record warmth in santa clara. the lions taking on the 49ers, kicking off at around 6:39 p.m.

the winds coming out of the northwest, and that arctic air continues to exit the west and move farther east. as a result, we are looking at maintaining the more moderate temperatures. medford in the mid to upper-60s through tuesday, and los angeles, 74 degrees by monday. that's a look your forecast. let's get a look at what's going on closer to home. >> somara: and that's your forecast. i just hope everybody wins, whit. >> whit: yes, everybody does win when you're doing the forecast. >> gio: all four teams.

>> whit: thank you, somara. okay, to the nfl now. by the end of the day, we will know if his 49ers are in the super bowl, my chiefs, or the lions and the ravens. super bowl lviii. abc's will ganss is here because no one loves football more than will ganss. >> whit: you know it. >> reporter: this nfl postseason has something for everybody. underdog stories, meme-able, moments, underdogs, and yeah. there's also some football being played too. from superstars in the stands, to bare-chested big brothers bursting out of boxes, which is now available in cookie form at this kansas-city-area bakery by the way, nfl newbies want to know. has football always been this fun? before you throw a flag, hype feels like it's at an all-time high before today's championship games. detroit taking on san francisco marking the lions' first-ever nfc championship game since 1991. neighborhoods around detroit lit up in blue overnight.

hairdos too in solidarity with wide receiver st. brown. >> both: let's go, lions. >> reporter: and at the general motors plant in flint, supporting the lions is a second full-time job. >> we made a decision to halt production for the first hour on sunday to allow our team members to be able to watch the entire football game, the lions, and give them an opportunity to watch the entire game with this historic moment in the state of michigan. >> reporter: jared goff and the lions taking on the 49ers and brock purdy. >> purdy will sneak it in for the touchdown. >> reporter: who would be the lowest drafted qb ever picked dead last in 2022 to make it to the super bowl if the niners get there. >> purdy to the sideline, and the juggling attempt and the catch. >> reporter: san francisco getting some good vibes going, visiting puppies in a shelter on saturday before today's big game. speaking of karma, let's jump over to the afc. the chiefs headed to baltimore where ravens fans are trolling the chiefs with this mural. their most famous fan sporting a baltimore jersey. this is the chiefs' first championship game on the road.

the ravens' first at home. mvp favorite lamar jackson is going head to head with patrick mahomes. >> he's able to fake like he's going to give it up and he keeps going. >> reporter: who's looking to win his fourth afc championship and super bowl appearance. baltimore's mayor making a bet with kansas city's. >> if you win, i'm willing to turn city hall red. >> reporter: and both states' governors putting crab pies and kansas steaks on the line. the chiefs play the ravens at home this afternoon and the lions play the 49ers in san fran later this evening. our "gma" anchor desk is heavily invested in those matchups. >> whit: yes. >> reporter: kansas city queen rhiannon, 49ers faithful whit johnson, how are we feeling? >> rhiannon: how are your daughters feeling? >> whit: my daughters actually told me if the chiefs play the niners, they don't know who they'll root for because of taylor swift. i was, like, are you kidding me? born and raised a niner fan. they were dead serious. >> reporter: i get it. >> gio: you're rooting for the chiefs, too. >> reporter: i am.

i'm also today, no offense whit, rooting for the lions. >> whit: that's true. >> rhiannon: how can you not? >> whit: got to love an underdog story for sure. thank you so much, my friend. still ahead here, more sports ahead. espn's herm edwards is joining us with his analysis of today's championship matchups. >> gio: and alex murdaugh's bid for a new trial. what's at stake this week as a judge hears claims of jury tampering. >> rhiannon: the new travel alerts you need to know about if you are making spring break getaway plans. we'll be right back. (bill) when we started blue buffalo, we made a promise to our boy blue - that we would create the best pet food we possibly could, made with the finest natural ingredients and none of the things you find in many other pet foods. we call it the true blue promise and it's our commitment to feed your pet just like we would feed blue. it's what makes blue buffalo unlike other pet food companies... ...which have many different brands with different standards. we have one standard —the one inspired by our boy blue, for the wellbeing of your dog or cat. because like you, we love them like family, too.

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edward jones nothing comes close to this place in the morning. i'm so glad i can still come here. you see, i was diagnosed with obstructive hcm. and there were some days i was so short of breath. i thought i'd have to settle for never stepping foot on this trail again. i became great at making excuses. but i have people who count on me so i talked to my cardiologist. i said there must be more we can do for my symptoms. he told me about a medication called camzyos. he said camzyos works by targeting what's causing my obstructive hcm. so he prescribed it and i'm really glad he did. camzyos is used to treat adults including heart failure that can lead to death, a risk that's increased if you develop a serious infection or irregular heartbeat, or when taking certain other medicines. so do not stop, start or change medicines or the dose without telling your health care

provider. you must have echocardiograms before and during treatment. seek help if you experience new or worsening symptoms. of heart failure. because of this risk, cam is only available through a restricted program. before taking cam, ceos tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including current or planned pregnancy. >> today, with cam, i don't lose my breath as often. my symptoms have improved, helping me go from expecting less to experiencing more. my name is mike and this is my cam moment. call your cardiologist today and see if a cam zalze moment may be in your future. to this week, just look who's saying good morning america emma stone, demi moore, dua lipa and henry cavill , good morning america, usher and megan thee stallion on good morning america are this morning three new exclusives senator tim scott, after his endorsement of donald trump, governor gavin

newsom on the trail for joe biden and joint chiefs chair cq brown on the middle east and ukraine. >> you may know adam schiff's work to protect the rule of law or to build affordable housing, or write california's patients bill of rights, but i know adam, through the big brother program. >> we've been brothers since i was seven. he stood by my side as i graduated from yale, and i stood by his side when he married eve, the love of his life. i'm a little biased, but take it from adam's little brother. he'll make us all proud. as california's senator. >> i'm adam schiff in order for small businesses to thrive, they need to be smart, efficient, savvy. making the most of every opportunity. that's why comcast business is introducing the small business bonus. for a limited time you can get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. yup, $1000. so switch to business internet from the company with the largest fastest reliable network. give your business a head start in 2024 with this great offer. plus, ask how to get up to $1000 prepaid card

with qualifying internet. switch today. a $1,000 prepaid card with qualifying internet switch today ? >> building a better bay area moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc seven news. >> good morning, i'm stephanie sierra. we have new details on the shooting that happened near the palisades tahoe ski resort. we've learned the suspect who died after he was shot by a california state parks officer, was an employee of the resort and worked there as a line cook. the suspect ran away after an alleged carjacking in tahoe city . he crashed near olympic valley , where police say he then jumped out of the car with a knife, which led to that shooting to weather now and some record highs today. good morning lisa. good morning stephanie. >> probably everywhere except for right at the coast. and look at half moon bay already. 5953 in hayward. partly cloudy skies. santa cruz, low 70 today 50. in fairfield. so look for near record warmth today and possibly into monday. >> thank you lisa, and thank you

all for joining us. the news continues right now with good morning america >> good morning. i'm reggie aqui . here's what's happening around the bay area. >> sunshine is back out. temperatures surge thanks to mild air moving in from the south sea. >> it is pretty busy out here this morning on the back up right now is approaching the foot of the maze. watch abc seven mornings this morning. >> three new exclusives. senator tim scott, governor gavin newsom and joint chiefs chair cq brown this morning on abc's this week. join us for this week this morning starting at eight right here on abc at wells fargo. >> direct deposits come up to two days early with early payday . what if everything came two days early? have a good weekend, mary. >> all right. now have a good weekend. but it's wednesday. see you monday. >> am i missing something? >> it's the weekend, baby. see you later. >> like getting things two days

early when it comes to payday, you can with wells fargo. >> what are you doing? this weekend? >> not just any whiteboard. katie porter's whiteboard is one way. she's often seen grilling top executives and banks, big pharma, even top administration officials. katie porter never taking corporate pac money never will. leading the fight to ban congressional stock trading. and the only democrat who opposed wasteful earmarks that fund politicians pet projects, katie porter, focused on your challenges from lowering housing costs to fighting climate change. shake up the senate with democrat katie porter. i'm katie porter, and i approve this message. >> much is made of learn more at starlight. >> org. i'm ♪ i'm just ken ♪ ♪ where i see love, she sees a friend ♪ ♪ what will it take for her to see the man behind the tan ♪ ♪ and fight for me ♪ ♪ i'm just ken ♪ >> rhiannon: man behind the tan. welcome back to "gma" on this sunday morning.

ken, his boy gang, and of course, barbie are all back on the big screen. the summer blockbuster is back in theaters for a limited one-week run after picking up eight oscar nominations last week. "barbie," by the way, the highest grossing movie in 2023. >> gio: why do we love this song so much? >> whit: it's so good. the lyrics are incredibly clever. >> rhiannon: i can't get you being ken for halloween out of my head. >> whit: i wore that ken costume like more than once, multiple times. let's take a look at some other big stories we're following on this sunday morning. happening right now, south korea's military is reporting that north korean forces fired multiple missiles from waters off an eastern military port on sunday. it's still not known how many missiles were fired, and how far they traveled. this was north korea's third known launch this year. >> gio: also right now, climate activists in paris can be seen throwing soup at the glass casing protecting the mona lisa. the louvre museum this morning,

the two women were allegedly shouting for a sustainable food system in the country. the museum guards secured the room where the most famous painting is displayed. the activists have been arrested. >> rhiannon: and troopers in indiana are being called heroes after the truck they were riding in caught fire. five zebras, four camels and a miniature horse were all taken into safety early saturday morning when their ride was engulfed in flames. none of the animals were harmed. a trooper and deputy were treated for smoke inhalation. at this point, they think there was some kind of an electric malfunction. >> gio: unbelievable video. glad they're all okay, humans and animals alike. >> whit: we do start this half hour with alex murdaugh's bid for a new trial. the disgraced attorney convicted of killing his wife and son is now claiming jury tampering. abc's morgan norwood has the highest twist in this high-profile case. morgan, good morning. >> reporter: and good morning to you, whit. that three-day hearing begins tomorrow, and it centers around whether the clerk of court

talked the jury into a guilty verdict all in order to sell her book. now, if the judge decides there was jury tampering here, prosecutors will have to try alex murdaugh's complicated and grisly double murder case all over again. this morning, all eyes on this south carolina courtroom. we're hearing that could determine whether disgraced lawyer alex murdaugh who was found guilty of killing his wife and son will get a new trial. it's all a part of an appeal by murdaugh's legal team on claims of jury tampering by clerk of court becky hill. >> are we entitled to an evidentiary hearing. the law is crystal clear that we are. >> reporter: they will take the stand tomorrow to explain to the judge what happened during deliberations. one testified already on friday. there's also a chance that hill will answer questions from the judge too. >> the stakes are very high for alex murdaugh. this seems to be one of his best chances to get a retrial in this double homicide case, but the bar is extremely high, if not, impossible to reach based on the

judge's decisions and the arguments we'll likely be hearing in this case. >> reporter: hill read the verdict in murdaugh's double murder trial. >> guilty, guilty, guilty. >> reporter: murdaugh's legal team accusing her of pressuring the jury into a quick decision to secure for herself a book deal and media appearances that would not happen in the event of a mistrial. hill denying the allegations, but later admitted to plagiarizing part of her book about the trial which has since been pulled from store shelves. for the next three days, the defense will try to convince the judge that murdaugh did not get a fair trial. >> i can't rule out that alex murdaugh will get a new trial, but if i was to analogize in any way, i would say this is making a 65-yard field goal. have i seen it before? maybe once or twice. but this is extremely, extremely difficult. >> reporter: and murdaugh is

serving two back-to-back life sentences. although he still maintains his innocence in those murders, he's also been sentenced to 27 years in state prison on financial crimes, so even if this appeal is successful, gio, he'll still spend a great deal of time behind bars. >> gio: so many looking at that case. morgan, thank you so much. let's go to another case because opening statements are set to begin on monday in the trial of two men accused of killing run dmz's jam master jay. they're arrested in 2020, they're accused of gunning down the high-profile rapper in his recording studio over an alleged drug dispute. both men have pleaded not guilty. a third defendant is being tried separately. jam master jay and run dmc were known for their anti-drug and anti-crime stance, so a lot of people will be watching this trial. >> rhiannon: we talked a lot about winter storms this year, but there's also been a lot of warm temperatures. let's head over to somara theodore with a look at that, somara. >> somara: that's right, rhiannon. in our recent memory, we have

that arctic air, but we look at the overall picture, we're kind of measuring above average. february 4th through the 10th, we'll be looking at above average temperatures as far south as parts of arkansas, right on up into new york city and new england. a little bit colder than normal when you head out west. all right, so, if you look at this and you look at these little notches, everywhere you're seeing a blue dot there, that's the top five warmest winters so far. so we're really measuring on the warmer side of things. we just talked about how we've got the big game that's taking place in santa clara today. they're in for record warmth temperatures there in the low 70s. finally as far as the west coast goes, they have also been dealing with a lot of moisture. rain moving in by wednesday as we enter the first day of february. that's a look at your forecast.

>> somara: and that's your local forecast. back to you all. >> gio: all right, somara, thank you so much. coming up here on "good morning america," the travel advisories to some sunny spots. what you need to know before you book your next vacation. stick around. you're watching "gma" on a sunday morning. w before you book your next vacation. stick around. you're watching "gma" on a sunday morning. [storms sound] whatever weather comes your way [wind and snow sounds] weathertech has you covered. [bird chirping] [laughing] with our laser—measured cargoliners. no drill mud flaps and floorliners. to secure your phone don't forget the cupfone. order yours today at weathertech.com. you never know when it's gonna be a weathertech day. perfect weather today...

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>> gio: welcome back to "gma" and why it may not always be fun in the sun on vacation. say it ain't so. the u.s. is issuing travel advisories for a number of popular destinations during spring break season, and abc's melissa adan has more on the story. good morning, melissa. >> reporter: good morning, gio. look, while many of us are in the thick of winter, spring break and warm tropical destinations are already top of mind. but we have some key tips on how to plan for a trip and stay safe amid the state department's new warning to those traveling to the bahamas. as millions of americans are looking ahead to their spring or summer vacations, some popular destinations are now the focus of serious warnings. a brand-new state department security alert is now in place for the bahamas. officials issuing a level 2 warning, urging increased caution after reports of at least 18 murders this month

alone to start off the new year. >> crime has actually always been an issue in these places because they have inadequate law enforcement. they have gangs. they have all sorts of issues in these jurisdictions. >> reporter: in the bahamas, most victims are locals, but the state department is warning that nassau's gang crime can also happen in areas frequented by tourists. the bahamas is not the only popular beach destination with travel alerts. jamaica is at a level 3 advisory for americans to reconsider travel while the turks and caicos and the dominican republic are at level 2, and being encouraged to exercise increased caution. this all follows concerns in mexico, after a gang-related shootout took place on the beach at resort in cancun. two americans injured after being caught in the crossfire. the u.s. embassy suggesting travelers keep a low profile. be aware of your surroundings. don't physically resist any

robbery attempt, and have a personal security plan. planning ahead is crucial. >> you can register with the state department so they know you're in the country so for instance if there's a local -- a natural disaster or other tragedy. >> reporter: the state department also warning about unregulated water sports saying how every year people die or suffer injuries due to improper use of poorly maintained jet skis or water crafts. >> the best way to be arranging activities, tours, things like that, is to do it through your hotel, you know, do it through your resort. do it through the person that you're staying with. >> reporter: now the office of the prime minister of the bahamas says they are implementing several measures amid the recent surge of violence, but tourism is vital to so many of these caribbean countries. >> gio: you've got to do it safely and make sure everything is okay, but go out and enjoy it. just be cautious. >> whit: for sure.

melissa, thank you so much. we appreciate it. coming up here on "good morning america," more on the huge day for football fans. espn's herm edwards previews the conference championship games. e conference championship games. (♪) ♪ all the pretty girls walk like this, ♪ ♪ this, this, this, this. ♪ ♪ pretty girls walk like this, this, this, this. ♪ ♪ all the pretty girls walk like this, ♪ ♪ this, this, this, this. ♪ ♪ pretty girls walk like this, this, this, this. ♪ the new inspire collection by calia. the magic never leaves you when you stay with the disney resorts collection. following you along, everywhere you go. making every moment special. even more surprising than your last. and bringing you extra time in any of the 4 theme parks, every day.

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i chose arexvy. rsv? make it arexvy. to protect the rule of law, or to build affordable housing, or write california's patients bill of rights. but i know adam through the big brother program. we've been brothers since i was seven. he stood by my side as i graduated from yale, and i stood by his side when he married eve, the love of his life. i'm a little biased, but take it from adam's little brother. he'll make us all proud as california senator. i'm adam schiff and i approve this message. in order for small businesses to thrive, they need to be smart, efficient, savvy.

making the most of every opportunity. that's why comcast business is introducing the small business bonus. for a limited time you can get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. yup, $1000. so switch to business internet from the company with the largest fastest reliable network. give your business a head start in 2024 with this great offer. plus, ask how to get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. switch today. >> rhiannon: we are back now on "gma" with the epic showdowns just hours away now on this nfl championship sunday. who better to preview these matchups than espn football analyst and veteran head coach, herm edwards? herm, good morning. so happy to have you back. i want to jump right in because we got a lot to talk about. lamar jackson. this is his first afc championship game going up against a very experienced kc chiefs quarterback, patrick mahomes. what is this matchup going to come down to? who do you see coming down on top? i want to remind you, last week you picked the bills.

>> you're a chiefs fan. i get it. i get it. i get it. i was waiting -- i was waiting for you to say that. so here we go. remember, you have the best quarterback on the planet. so you can never count patrick mahomes out. he's 13-3 in playoff competition. i'll leave it at that, but when you look at this game, i think if you are the kansas city chiefs, obviously you've got to rely on your run game. pacheco. you make the ravens put eight guys in the box. why do you want to do that? because patrick mahomes will have the ability to get the ball to you know who, kelce. that's his guy. if you are the ravens, you've got to counter with kyle hamilton, the strong safety. you have to cover kelce. that's the matchup you want to see today. you got lamar jackson obviously. he's had 100 yards three times in playoff competition. the only quarterback in the history of the national football league to do that. this is going to be a fantastic game.

i know you want me to pick and i was leaning kind of toward the ravens, but you know what? patrick mahomes is too hard to beat. i got to go with the chiefs this week. >> all right, you got him. you finally got him. >> gio: and she will hold you to that, herm. let's talk about the lions. quarterback jared goff looking to earn another trip to the super bowl, but he's got to go against a tough 49ers defense. how do you see that matchup playing out? >> for jared goff and the lions, they've had a great story. you look at the 49ers and i know whit is a little nervous. they were rusty last week. they won't be rusty this week and i think if you are the lions, you go in with what is your strength. it's gibbs and montgomery running the football. that sets up jared goff to throw the football to laporta and reynolds and st. brown. the san francisco 49ers will have to play well this week because they're going to be stressed. they're going to put eight guys in the box, stop the run. the corners have to hold up against the passing game of the detroit lions. >> whit: coach, let's talk objectively of course, about my 49ers here. who's most important to get the win, purdy, mccaffrey, or the niners' defense?

>> it's going to be the niners' defense. they're going to have to slow this thing down. they're going to have to slow the run game down, and so, if they can stop the run and make jared goff go back and throw the football, that's going to work into they're favor. we know that mccaffrey is going to play well. the offense runs through mccaffrey. deebo is the key. he has to play in this game. he cannot stand on the sideline. he can't get hurt, whit. he's got to play all four quarters. if he's playing, the 49ers have an electric guy that can catch the ball and make big plays. >> rhiannon: herm, last question. a lot of the country pulling for the lions and the ravens. which two teams do you think would be the most exciting to watch at the super bowl? >> oh, boy. are you kidding me? [ laughter ] look. look. i'm going to say the politically right statement. whatever two teams that get there are going to deserve it. these teams are very good. whit, i know what you are thinking. look, john lynch is the godfather of my son.

we're the godfather of his daughter. my wife and my daughters are at the game today. so guess who i'm pulling for? >> whit: niners, baby. >> there you go. >> whit: you know it. >> you're good. >> whit: niners/chiefs. you picked that rematch. we like those answers. thank you so much. we appreciate it as always. always a great time. >> rhiannon: we wore him down. >> whit: i think we finally got to him. we'll be right back with our "play of the day." we'll be right back with our "play of the day." choosing a treatment for your chronic migraine - 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting 4 hours or more - can be overwhelming. so, ask your doctor about botox®. botox® prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine before they even start. it's the #1 prescribed branded chronic migraine treatment. so far, more than 5 million botox® treatments have been given to over eight hundred and fifty thousand chronic migraine patients. effects of botox® may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away, as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be signs of

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♪ >> gio: time for the "play of here. he wanted his daughter. he took his daughter to the sledding hill. brilliant. but look closely, because that inflatable tire is actually attached to a rope. so down the girl goes. and this is where the genius comes in. watch that grabs his hand. power screwdriver. the clever guy

turns it into a makeshift mechanical rig. his daughter's zipping right back up the hill. going back up turns. that's pitch just as much fun going. going down. dad says he gets 70 lifts on a single 18 volt battery. wow is that a dewalt screwdriver? >> amazing. >> he needs to take this on shark tank. i'm heading out. >> heading home depot right now. >> i'll go run. >> thank you so much for watching. here at abc news, we're always online and good morning america.com. thank you to rhiannon for joining us. >> thanks for having me america. >> much more on this week with george stephanopoulos from america's number one news comes the all new abc news app, breaking news, incredible video faster, smarter and customizable to your interests. >> if you love being in the know, you're gonna love ts experience. the all new abc news app. download it now. >> this morning, three new exclusive senator tim scott, governor gavin newsom and joint

chiefs chair cq brown this morning on abc building a better bay area moving forward, finding solutions. >> this is abc seven news. >> good morning. i'm stephanie sierra in california. there could be some new regulations coming for speedy drivers. state senator scott wiener introduced legislation which would require new cars to have technolts drian miles over the speed limit. the technology taps into geolocation information of real time mapping and traffic data. now, if approved, it could go into effect by 2027. looking ahead to tonight, multiple freeway off ramps will likely be closed off in san francisco in an effort to control potential crowds after the nfc championship game. here's a look at the map that shows the off ramps that will be closed starting at seven until midnight tonight. officials say this is to enhance public safety due to an expected increase in traffic and it certainly will be

a nice day out for the game. the warmest day of the week. good morning lisa. good morning stephanie. >> we have a wide range of temperatures right now. it is 60 for half moon bay with a breezy east wind. we have upper 50 san francisco 53. in san jose. but where that air is cooler and denser, it has settled into our inland valley. so just 48 in livermore, santa rosa, 49. and we will be looking at more bright sunshine today. so compared to yesterday, we're already well ahead with 11 degrees warmer right now in half moon bay and seven degrees warmer in napa. so those breezy east winds you may be feeling them will ease up later on today, but that is keeping some of our valleys pretty cool. but by this afternoon many records in jeopardy is look at all the widespread 70. 72 in fremont, san jose for the game. low 70s, mid 70s. by the afternoon and mid 70s up in santa rosa. still some 70s for your monday. stephanie. >> all right lisa, thank you. and thank you all for joining us this week with george stephanopoulos is next.

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changed my life forever. >> you may know adam schiff's work to protect the rule of law, or to build affordable housing, or write california's patients bill of rights. but i know adam, through the big brother program. we've been brothers since i was seven. he stood by my side as i graduated from yale, and i stood by his side when he married eve, the love of his life. i'm a little biased, but take it from adam's little brother. he'll make us all proud. as california's senator. >> i'm adam schiff, and i approve this message. neighborhood safety tracker only on >> announcer: "this week" with george stephanopoulos starts right now. >> martha: closing in. >> we had a spectacular victory. messages from the voters of our party is clear. >> martha: after his triumph in new hampshire, donald trump looks to finish out the race. >> donald trump is going to be the nominee. >> martha: nikki haley presses