good morning. thanks for starting your saturday with us. it's going to be yet another rainy weekend up and down the east coast. >> floridians are expected to get the worst of it. it is december 16th and this is "today." super soaker, millions from miami to philadelphia preparing for another weekend washout. some parts of south florida bracing for up to 7 inches of rain today before the storm works up the east coast. angie has the full forecast.

outrage in israel. sadness after the military admits it killed three hostages in gaza. the israeli military's explanation of what went wrong. no regrets. former new york city mayor rudy giuliani is viewing to appeal the federal jury verdict ordering him to pay $145 million to two former election workers who he falsely accused of stealing votes from donald trump. >> the absurdity of the number. >> will the mother and daughter at the center of the case ever see that money? mystery solved. the medical examiner in los angeles revealed what killed matthew perry who spent decades battling addiction. what the toxicology report shows was in the actor's system. all that plus what is you're gone?

"jeopardy!" host mayim bialik is no longer on the show. why she and the show are parting ways. today, saturday december 16th, 2023. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with peter alexander and laura jarrett. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. welcome to "today." thank you for joining us. hard to believe it is nine days until christmas. we have blown past the partridge in the pear tree. >> i'm good to get you a test on christmas carols. i'm under prepared. my son looked under the tree and said where are all the gifts? >> santa is not here yet. >> if you are anything like me, you may spend part of the weekend finishing up that last-minute holiday shopping. the clock is ticking.

if you need to ship anything to your loved ones, the deadlines for expedited shipping is fast approaching. we will run through the dates and deadlines you need to know in a little bit. remember to bring an umbrella if you are heading out. punishing rains in much of florida today. this is likely to be a messy few days for tens of millions as holiday travel picks up. meteorologist angie lassman is here with the latest. angie, a lot of people keeping an eye on the forecast. >> like clockwork, the rain on the weekend. it is hugging the east coast. we have the rain unsettled with the cloud cover. the flood watches are up in northern georgia and florida and major cities like miami and gainesville and jacksonville under the alerts right now. we will see more of those as the day goes on.

on top of the heavy rain, we have the severe threat. it basic ickly inclus tampa. especially dangerous tornadoes after it is dark. nocturnal tornadoes. here is the rain through the day today. the flash flooding and damaging winds and tornadoes is the biggest impact. look what happens by tomorrow. the moist lifts to the north and it intensifies along the east coast with the gusts and heavy rain. the mid-atlantic in the later part of the day as well as the northeast. we could see the scattered snow across the great lakes and appalachians as that system exits in time for monday morning. the flood risk will be the east coast. we have impressive rainfall rates. 1 to 2 inches per hour is

possible. fort lauderdale surpassed and doubled the year rainfall average. so far today, we have 1 to 3 inches of rain across the southeast. tallahassee, charleston and new york with the flash flood potential. on top of that, impressive winds. 50-mile-an-hour gusts in atlantic city. this will be something, guys, that we see over the next couple days which is impactful for travel on the roads and in the air. >> angie, thank you very much. to the middle east now where anger is growing in israel this morning. the day after the military revealed it accidentally killed three israeli hostages in gaza. we have senior foreign correspondent hallie jackson with more. i understand you have late breaking news? >> reporter: from the idf official in the last couple minutes, laura, confirming the three hostages killed by the israelis and one was holding a

stick with a white cloth on it. there was a question over the course of the last 18 hours about what happened and how the hostages ended up fired upon. were they abandoned by hamas? we are starting to get the answers there. i expect we will have more throughout the course of the day. it is something that has horrified here the deaths of the hostages, people in israel with prime minister netanyahu calling it unbearable. we saw that anger spillover overnight in the streets of tel aviv. people coming out and demanding the release of hostages immediately. negotiations to start asap. we met eli there whose 18-year-old daughter is believed to be in captivity. >> why did you decide to show up and support the families? >> we are demonstrating to the

government to start negotiations to free all of the kidnapped. >> do you think you will be successful? do you have hope that could happen? >> we he need to live by hope. we don't have anything else to do. just to hope. >> reporter: all of this sparked by the announcement by the idf of the killing of the three israeli hostages. again, lots of questions about what happened here as we also learned in the last few minutes that the israeli defense minister met with the head of moussad on the push to try to get the hostages back on the rescue efforts and recovery efforts, if you will. the national security advisor jake sullivan said he had intense conversations about the negotiations and about the hostage recovery push while he was here as the u.s. is praising now israel's move which is set to start allowing aid trucks to

start from the border crossing into gaza. you know the humanitarian crisis is getting worse. there is an estimated 19,000 palestinians killed according to the hamas-run health ministry there. israel said hamas fired at jerusalem. we see more action in the north where the military aims strike in lebanon after the drone attack by hezbollah. a lot of moving pieces here, laura. >> thank hallie. >> we want to get straight to jeremy bash, a former cia operative. according to the idf, one of the three hostages holding a white flag trying to get the attention of the israeli soldeiers were

killed. this is adding pressure on prime minister netanyahu to add to the talks for a cease-fire and get the hostages home. is this the impetus toward more talks? >> it could be, peter. this is the first friendly fire in the 70-day war. there are two school of thoughts. the first thought is to offer more to hamas. hamas stopped negotiating over the hostage release because hamas refused to release 20 women. the other school of thought is, no, have the idf put more pressure on hamas. that pressure put hamas to the table which resulted in 100 hostages to be released. >> jeremy, in all of the discussions here, we lose sight of more than 100 people are still being held. what are the pressure points? what are the ways to maneuver

around that to get the those dama hostages released? >> 100 people still being held and including 8 americans and families of the eight americans have been in washington meeting with government officials. they want the u.s. to mediate discussions with israel and qatar and egypt. ultimately between hamas. that is the way they will get out. i'm not confident there is a military solution to getting the hostages out. as we saw from the friendly fire incident, every time the idf goes in, there is a risk to hostages' lives. >> jeremy, the talks between president biden and prime minister benjamin netanyahu is spilling out into the public. israel is losing support for how it is conducting the war. idiscriminate bombings taking place in gaza.

what do those conversations sound like right now as the u.s. is urging israel to phase into a more targeted approach in this war? a new phase of the war. >> peter, i have been cautioned by u.s. officials to not make too much of the public comments. israel and the united states are aligned. they are standing shoulder to shoulder. jake sullivan was in israel. he brought weapons and intelligence and advice and strong moral support for israel's fight against hamas. it attacked israel and killed 36 americans. they have have been supportive if there is a two-state solution and peaceful reconciliation, hamas has to be significantly downgraded. >> to be clear, eight americans still unaccounted for. jeremy bash, we appreciate your time. thank you. >> thank you. to that major verdict on friday with former new york city

mayor and trump attorney rudy giuliani ordered to pay $148 million to two election workers in georgia who he falsely accused of election fraud. nbc's ken delanian has more. >> reporter: a jury in washington d.c. imposing a massive penalty for election lies. ordering rudy giuliani to pay more than $148 million in damages to two former georgia election workers he falsely accused of election fraud. >> today's a good day. a jury stood witness to what rudy giuliani did to me and my daughter and held him accountable. for that i'm thankful. >> reporter: the judge found giuliani libel. the jury awarding more than $33 million to shaye moss and freeman and ordering giuliani to pay $75 million in damages.

>> the absurdity of the number underscores the proceeding. >> reporter: giuliani pointed to this video of criminal activity. >> passing around usb ports as if they are vials of heroin or cocaine. >> what was she handing you? >> a ginger mint. >> reporter: they explained how the false charges led to racist threats to leave their homes and jobs. >> money will never solve all of my problems. i can never move back into the house that i called home. i will always have to be careful about where i go and who i choose to share my name with. >> reporter: giuliani vowing to appeal and refusing to back down on his claims about the women. >> i have no doubt that my comments were made and they were

supportable and supportable today. >> reporter: ken delanian, nbc news, washington. >> laura, one of the questions is does he have a leg to stand on, giuliani, as it relates to appeal and will the women ever receive the money? >> he can try to appeal. we have seen jury verdicts in the past, which have been excessive to some, appeal here. they had expert testimony. they had to wear masks in public and change their names at one point. it will be really hard. will they ever see a dime of this money? we know he is in financial distress. he is being sued by his own lawyers. $148 million is staggering. it sends a message. it is the human impact of disinformation. >> no doubt. what giuliani's attorneys describe a civil death penalty. >> yes. >> a lot of money.

could be the end of giuliani giuliani. now to iowa where the caucuses are less and a month away. one of the critics of trump, diz ron desantis, says he does not think the former president will accept the answers there. we have vaughn hillyard with more. >> reporter: peter, good morning. we are one month away from the iowa caucuses. according to the polls, former president trump is holding on to a dominating lead there. as well as here in new hampshire and in south carolina. the first three states to vote. the top rivals for the gop nomination are ron desantis and nikki haley. they are focusing attention on contrast between one another saying they are the best to take

on the former president. neither candidate has come out strongly against mr. trump so far making this critique from governor desantis notable. the governor was asked if he believed mr. trump would accept defeat. listen in. >> he will say it is stolen no matter what. he will try to delegitimize the results. he did that against ted cruz in 2016. when "the apprentice" didn't get an emmy. >> reporter: desantis urged trump to take the debate stage with him and haley. something he refused to do so far. there are debates scheduled in iowa and here in new hampshire for the primary a week after the caucus. that is why the former president willing here in few hours before turning attention on iowstretch. peter. >> vaughn, thank you very much.

now to the governor of arizona on friday ordered the state's national guard to the border to help manage what she is calling a humanitarian crisis regarding migrants there. democrat katie hobb said the federal government is refusing to do its job to secure the border. it is not clear when the troops will arrive at the border. officials have said thousands of migrants are crossing into arizona daily. the strongest solar flare in six years could create a northern lights display this weekend. the nasa telescope discovered it on thursday from the sun and discovered a radio burst. that caused blackouts in the u.s. and south america and multiple pilots reported disruption to communications. the flares are expected to produce auroras which may be visible from idaho to new york.

angie is back with the look at the rest of the country's forecast. >> it is looking a little bumpy for the east coast. especially florida through the day today. we have the front that we are tracking bringing rain from the gulf coast up to the midwest. that is not all that impressive with rainfall amounts, but interpret the plans for the day today. we are all clear across the west. from the plains to the west coast with plenty of sunshine and notice the warm temperatures in the low 50s in the middle of the country. if you are in the northeast or mid-atlantic and gearing up good morning at 5:40 on this saturday. waking up to mostly clear skies over the bay area. some 30s and 40s. 39 walnut creek. 41 in oakland. headed for a very sunny day this saturday, but a split weekend.

sunshine today. 60s, and 70s. look at gilroy, 74 degrees. rain returns tomorrow and stays and that's the look at the forecast. guys. angie, thank you. still to come, matthew perry's cause of death revealed. our chloe melas has that story. >> reporter: good morning, laura and peter. the toxicology

we're back on a saturday morning with the "wuk weekly

download." we have joe fryer with more. >> the ayes are 221. the resolution is adopted. >> the hous voted along party lines for the impeachment inquiry of joe biden. >> what does the joe bidens do to receive the tens of millions of dollars from our enemies. >> president biden accused house republicans of a baseless stunt to defy hunter biden who faces criminal gun and tax charges and refused to testify behind closed doors and defend his father. >> no allegations that my father was involved in my business because it did not happen. >> a pregnant woman in texas,

kate cox, was forced to leave the state to get an abortion. she made the decision after the state supreme court made the decision. >> i thought i would never want or need an abortion. >> cox is a mother of two already and her doctors said her ability to have future children would be at risk. >> representatives from 200 countries at the climb summit in dubai reached historic deal to transition away from fossil fuels that lead to global warming. it allows them to triple on wind and solar, but critics say it does not go far enough. tesla is recalling 2 million vehicles over safety concerns when the car is allowed to drive itself. >> there are too many drivers

that are over-reliant on the tesla technology. >> the recall won't allow you to visit the dealer, but it will add software updates and prohibit auto steer on roads where it is not approved. >> andre braugher passed away after a battle with lung cancer. he was known for "homicide:life on the street" and "brooklyn nine-nine." andre braugher was 61 years old. >> oprah revealed to "people" magazine stated she used a weight loss drug to slim down. she said i'm done with the shaming from other people in particularly myself. >> finally, oneof travis kelce's biggest fans got cruel

news. >> travis kelce has a girlfriend. >> is it me? >> it's taylor swift. >> her loss is taylor swift's gain. >> i'm sorry. >> there will be other fish in the sea. plenty of time. >> maybe taylor can help her out with concert tickets. >> she is not alone in america. all right. still to come on "today," t-minus nine days until christmas and time is running out to get the gifts under the tree. i know we will have shipping deadlines before you send anymore packages. she is back. the return of kate mckinnon to studio 8h. we will have a preview of her big ni

good morning. thanks for joining us this saturday december 16th. i'm kira klapper. thieves hit san francisco business owners and now those owners are frustrated asking for the city to do more, after they were hit in the same night. security video taken from division street in the city's design district. the owner says you can see here a group of thieves first tried to pry open the door and then broke the glass and rushed in. they got away with a cash register and a safe.

a witness told police they saw several men jump into three parked cars outside the restaurant. >> one guy come through. more, ten people coming. >> less than a half mile away, another restaurant was hit. they tell us their front door was damaged, you see there. they say via social media they're taking steps to recover and get enhanced security. police say they're still working to determine whether the two crimes are related. on this saturday morning, we're going to check in with cinthia pimentel is for a look at our microclimate forecast. hey, cinthia. >> good morning, kira, and good morning everyone. starting out mostly clear on the bay area. typically as we've seen the last couple weekends. 30s and 40s. 38 in walnut creek. 43 in oakland as well as san jose. there is something i want you to be careful of this morning and throughout date. we are under a spare the air alert today and tomorrow. so that means with these chilly

temperatures, you are not allowed to burn any wood this weekend. so we can keep air quality calm. there is high pressure dominating the bay area creating a lid over the atmosphere. pretty unhealthy from the north to east bay and through the santa clara valley. something to take note of looking at the temperatures. very tempts to get outside. temperatures in the upper 60s and some 70s. look at gilroy. 74 degree. a lot of sunshine today. ed going to be a split weekend, though. tell you. looking at this monster churning in the pacific. a low-pressure system bringing rain second half of the weekend. this is starting to take shape and form as we go on into sunday and into next week with some chances, also, of wind and thunderstorms. give you all the details coming up at 7:00. see you late on "today in the bay." >> my daughter was safe.

thank god. that's all i cared about. >> only on nbc san jose, a truck stolen with his daughter in the back seat. a warning after she was returned safely. that plus all your top stories and cinthia full forecast coming up at

make work your hobby, follow your heart. if you chase what you enjoy, then it will never feel like work. >> we are back on saturday morning, december 16th, 2023. that is our good friend and former colleague kerry sanders speaking to the graduates on friday at florida atlantic university. kerry was honored for his amazing career and impactful

stories he covered for nbc that involved fau. it is a bit jarring to see kerry doing anything other than rescuing a dolphin. >> that's a good guy to take advice from. >> nice to see how well he is doing. >> make work your hobby. let's start this half hour with the check of the headlines. the mother of the 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher in the virginia classroom last january was sentenced to two years in prison on friday for felony child negligent. daysia taylor will serve that sentence after the charge for using marijuana. the teacher filed a $40 million lawsuit against the school district saying they failed to adhere to warnings. on friday, the lead contamination in applesauce pouchs may have been

intentional. the wana bana brand contaminated 45 children. the company did not respond to a request for comment. the quaker oats company is recalling some products. you can go to the web site for a list of those products which are sold in all 50 states. now to the nfl where the los angeles chargers are looking for a new head coach this morning. the chargers fired brandon staley on friday along with the general manager, just a day after the bolts were blown out by the raiders 63-21. the chargers made the playoffs last season, but they have struggled all year losing five of the last six games. now among the names mentioned as replacements are two coaches employed by other teams, michigan's jim harbaugh and the

new england patriots bill belichick. and also this morning, we know what caused the death of "friends" star matthew perry in october. authorities in los angeles released findings late friday. we have chloe melas here with more. >> good morning. matthew perry's autopsy results were deferred pending toxicology reports. now the medical examiner's office said he died from acute effects of ketamine. more than a month where matthew perry was found unresponsive in the pacific palisades home, the medical examiner ruled the death an accident. the autopsy report said the acute effects of ketamine caused the death. listing drowning and coronary artery disease and buprenorphine as contributing factors. it was perry's assistant who found him after coming home from

running errands. the report says perry was taking anti-depressants and ketamine infusion therapy. blood tests revealed ketamine levels in the same range as anesthesia. he played chandler bing. the actor would star in every episode of the ten-year run. >> if i'm going to cry. >> reporter: he struggled off screen. >> i didn't watch the show. i could tell season by season how i looked. >> reporter: perry writing about the life-long battle with addiction in "friends, lovers and the big terrible thing."

even using ketamine to help with depression. perry said it had my name written all over it. in the days after his death, perry's family launched the matthew perry foundation to continue his most important work. helping others fight addiction. >> this news comes days after jennifer aniston gave her first interview about his death to "variety" magazine. she spoken to him that morning over text and he was quote happy and healthy and quit smoking and was getting into shape. that is what makes this even more tough because no one saw this coming. like i said, his friends and family started the matthew perry foundation in his honor. >> so sad. chloe, thank you. we will have more on this story in the next half hour and a deeper look at ketamine and how it should be used and how it can be abused. let's get another check of the forecast with angie. i have to say the best part of

the awful story is celebrating his life with the great clips and a funny guy he was. >> he is too, too funny for sure. let's talk about the warmth that we're dealing with. where's winter? you look across the country from the west coast to the east coast and temperatures are running 10 to 15 degrees above normal. omaha in the 40s. chicago is headed to 46. nashville in the 60s. philadelphia in the 50s. that stays with us tomorrow. we continue this warmth with detroit in the upper 40s. nashville in the mid-50s. look ahead to monday. temperatures are impressive. we could see the potential for record-breaking warmth on monday in new york. highs in the upper 50s. boston could see some records. we will get a little bit of the cooldown happening across the midwest as we roll into the workweek with the 20s on monday. tuesday and wednesday, we get back to the upper 30s. dallas in the upper 50s and end in the 60s on wednesday as

good morning at 6:06 on this saturday. waking up to 30s, 40s and 50s. 50 degrees in novato. 34, though, driving um 101 into santa rosa. making our way down south and east a little clouds lingering around livermore. 35 degrees. 43 in san jose. most of that fog, though, however, staying to the central valley. we are under a spare-the-air alert day for the weekend. limit time outdoors if sensitive and that's a look at the warm holiday forecast. >> your chair is high today. >> i'm very tall. >> you grew in that forecast. >> don't be threatened. angie, thank you. surviving the holidays with your loved ones. we will have advice on how to make it through the sea

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we are back with today's holiday handbook. 'tis the season of holiday gatherings. >> they would be great and also awkward. >> mr. manners is here to help with the dos and don'ts of holiday etiquette. thomas, i need your help. >> i'm here for you. >> one of the things is the grandparents and great grandparents. lucky for me and my kids is devices. sometimes not everybody is on the same page of devices for the young ones. what is your advice? >> we know grandparents want to spend time with their kids, but screen time is important for you to have that conversation in

advance with them and a nice way to go around this is to buy something the kids and grandparents can enjoy together. a doll house, a puzzle. something active. >> not wordle? >> maybe. something that is physically active is great. remember, you will be that indulgent grand parent, too. cut them some slack. >> it is nice when the grandparents check in first. how about for a coworker and the holiday parties and gift giving. what is allowed? >> sure. peter, the nice thing here is we don't have to worry about buying gifts for everyone in the office unless it is in tradition. the only one buying a gift is the boss buying a gift for the small team. you don't buy a gift for the boss.

unless you have the tradition already. it is reward the members of the team and buy something personal that show you that you know them. not company swag. a basketball because they love basketball or a cooking item for the home. this is the idea. for the office widely, secret santa or white elephant is your friends. you buy one and done and nobody is worried about hurt feelings. >> when the boss gives you a sweatshirt with the company name. >> add it to the collection of things i already have. you are going to a party with coworkers or friends or family or any holiday function. maybe people who are drinking or there are people who are sober and you want to drink. what is the etiquette? >> joe, we know the holidays can be triggering for someone recently sober. if you are at a work event and your colleague is recently sober, as the tray comes around with the champagne, i would

thought take one off the tray. i would abstain. you will be at a work event. you are mingling. you will drink later when you are not with that individual. for the smaller family functions, have the conversation in advance. how do you feel about this? there will be alcohol. should we not? is it okay? as host, have mocktails. accommodate them so they feel they are part of it. >> mocktails are a great option. >> thank you. >> happy holidays. >> i love the blazer. we're back after this short break. we will have "popstart." >> we will talk about mayim >> we will talk about mayim bialik out as host once in a lifetime is never enough. never enough! (♪♪) ♪ love and happiness ♪ when i wear diamonds, i feel powerful, fun,

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we are back with your "popstart." joe? >> first up, mayim bialik announced friday she is out as host of "jeopardy!" writing i will no longer host "jeopardy!." i'm honored to be nominated for a emmy. i'm deeply grateful for being part of the family. she has been splitting time with ken jennings. she was the sole host of "celebrity jeopardy!." sony pictures television put out a statement saying mayim bialik is no longer hosting. we made the decision to have one host for the syndicated show next season to maintain continuity for viewers and ken

jennings will be the sole host. we are grateful for all of mayim bialik's contributions and we hope to continue to work with her on primetime specials. still up in the air if mayim bialik will return for those duties. up next, kate mckinnon is returning to studio 8h after leaving last year. her musical guest is billie eilish. >> there is something in the air this week. >> the christmas spirit? >> a smell. >> i'm making roast beef sandwiches in my dressing room. >> mckinnon won a couple of emmys over her decade on "snl." we cannot wait to see which characters she will bring back. so much material. >> it has to be giuliani. >> the lady who gets abducted

which was her final sketch on the show. >> so good. bieber. rbg. >> maybe she will do a mash up. and willem dafoe caught up with our willie to talk about his seven golden globe nominations. he talked about his intense physical transformation for the latest role. >> the physical transformation is extraordinary. >> it is a good preparation. you see yourself go away and you see something else. when you look different and see something differently reflected back to you, you create a shift and makes it easier to inhabit something that is not you. >> you can catch willie's conversation with willem on "sunday today." that is your "popstart." >> it will be a good one.

still to come, the girlfriend who pulled off the epic holiday prank on her boyfriend in the drive-thru

still to come on "today," important information for proper procrastinators. the clock is ticking for the packages to be shipped. we will meet the rockettes and two sisters high kicking and two sisters high kicking their you really think you can get me to like dark chocolate? without a doubt. won't it taste bitter? not this dark chocolate. (♪♪) now what? we wait. (♪♪) i can't... mmmm...

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thanks for joining us on this saturday december 16th. i'm kira klapper. protesters who blocked the bay bridge while calling for a cease-fire in gaza now facing criminal charges. san francisco district attorney brook jenkins is filing the charges against the protesters whose demonstration brought traffic to a halt for hours during the apec summit last month. those delays put some transplant patients at risk. ed vehicle carrying organs to the hospital were delayed. d.a. jenkins released a statement saying free speech must be protected but not when it compromises public safety. 80 protesters each charged with five misdemeanor counts and expected in court later this month. the war between israel and hamas, union members rallying today calling for a permanent cease-fire in gaza. members from 14 bay area unions will meet at oakland city hall today. health care longshoremen, transit education pa talty and

food service yoon inns involved. it starts at 1:00 p.m. let's check in with cinthia pimentel for a look at our microclimate forecast on this saturday morning. hey, cinthia. >> good morning, kira. good morning, everyone. the going to be a spectacular saturday around the bay area. we've got a little split weekend going on. i'll get to that in a second. let's check what's going on outside. notice most of that cloud cover, dense fog, hanging out for the central valley. if you have plans to drive down 5 or 99 later on this morning be careful with that. otherwise starting off in the 30s and 40s. looks like one of the chillier spots up there in santa rosa. 34 degrees. 49 in san francisco. 43 to start the day here in san jose. we do have a spare-the-air alert day for today and tomorrow as high pressure traps all of this unhealthy air near the surface. sensitive to that, really in that category for the rest of the weekend. so just something to take note of and it's going to be very tempting to go outside if you do have respiratory issues.

look at the temperatures. 70s going into the valleys of the north bay down through the santa clara valley and upper 60s making our way clue concord and hayward. 69 degrees today. the split weekend comes into play. changes. low-pressure system taking a turn in the pacific coming closer sunday and into next week with very unstable weather. talk about that coming up at 7:00 a.m. kira, back to you. >> cinthia, see you then. thanks. also coming up on "today in the bay," the chief investigators in the santa clara county district attorney's office is under investigation for making derogatory comments. we investigate why he's been allowed to stay on the job until he retires next week. that, plus all your top stories coming up at 7:00 and hope you

good morning. washed out. tens of millions from southern florida to the northeast bracing for another weekend storm. up to 7 inches expected in parts of the sunshine state before punishing rain and strong winds blow up the east coast. angie has the forecast. cause of death revealed. a toxicology report released overnight finds "friends" star matthew perry died from acute

effects of ketamine. we will talk to a medical doctor about ketamine. and ship until you drop. with nine days to go until christmas, the deadlines to get your holiday packages out in time are fast approaching. >> you think you have plenty of time to mail for christmas and you realize you lost three days because of the saturday, sunday, monday holiday. >> the deadlines you need to know to get packages out on time. "today" saturday december 16th, 2023. >> we're from dublin, ohio celebrating christmas and her birthday. >> happy birthday, julia. >> celebrating it with the "today" show. >> we're visiting from florida. merry christmas! ♪ >> we drove all night long to come to the "today" show. ♪♪ good morning. welcome back to "today" on

saturday morning. we have a great crowd out there. we look forward to seeing them in a little bit. >> holiday time is when the crowd picks up out here. >> we have to see what january 2nd looks like. >> they will come back. >> they will come back. no doubt. we get to today's news and stop us if you heard this before. it is going to be another wet weekend. >> it is starting today in the south and by tomorrow, the northeast will be soaked. angie has the look at the timing. >> we have the heavy rain and potential for severe weather over the next two days. interrupting outdoor plans and holiday errands you have to run. here is what the radar looks like. the heavy rain working into the state of florida. not living up to its name as far as the sunshine state. you will not see that across florida today. instead, we have flood alerts up. the bright green is the flood watch which extends from georgia to north florida and southeast florida with miami and gainesville and jacksonville all included.

i would not be surprised if the flood alerts are expanded today as we gear up for heavy rain. on top of that, the severe weather potential for 16 million people and one specific threat is the tornadoes which are happening after dark. much more dangerous than a regular tornado. tampa and jacksonville and south florida and miami all included in this watch here as we get through the afternoon hours and evening hours and overnight tonight. the push of moisture impacts florida today and the southeast gets in on the action. torrential rain is problematic for the risk of flash floods. it doesn't take much to see the flooding across the state of florida. that is something we deal with today. look how it expands into tomorrow. it moves up the east coast and the mid-atlantic and northeast is something we deal with for sunday. it will be a little bumpy with the rainfall amounts and potential for severe weather. we will have the chance for

really gusty winds as well. there are the areas we are looking at with the flash flood risk. it is the whole east coast. watch for that. never drive through flooded roadways. you can pick up 3 to 6 inches of rain in washington, d.c. the torrential rain is something you deal with today and tomorrow in boston. look at the winds. strong winds are possible. especially closer to the coast. we have 29 million people at risk for high winds. we will see the potential for downed trees and power lines as we get into the day tomorrow for the portion of the northeast. we could see up to 70-mile-an-hour winds. back to you. >> angie, thank you very much. to breaking news this morning with details coming out about three israeli hostages his mistakenly killed by israel

military. the officials have said the hostages were holding up a white flag. they said soldiers felt threatened by the shirtless men holding a stick with a white cloth. officials said two were killed immediately. when the third man, the third hostage, injured, called out in hebrew, the israeli commander ordered a cease-fire. there was a burst of fire and the third was killed. israel's military said this was against the rules of engagement. wehave more on the tragic death of matthew perry. the medical examiner released the autopsy revealing the cause of death from acute effects of ketamine. this is raising questions. we want to bring in it nbc news medical contributor natalie azar for more on this. what should we know about this drug ketamine? why did it contribute? >> ketamine has been available in the country for many decades now. it is a very powerful medication

that is used for sedation. it is an anesthetic for short-term sedation inanimals. it is a sedative. it can cause slowed breathing. respiratory depression. according to the medical examiner's office, the levels found in matthew perry's blood were pretty much like in the middle range of what's commonly used in anesthesia and in the right setting, if you will, or the perfect storm of events, it can cause slowed breathing that you can become unconscious. we know he drowned. that is where the accidental component came in here. >> it can be used for therapeutic reasons. according to reports, he was using it that way? >> according to his people and officials, he was also using to treat depression and anxiety and had an infusion a week and a half prior. that therapy was not thought to

play a role in this. the life of the drug is three-to-four hours. the fact he had a high level in the blood indicates it was recreational use or misuse. it is important to note that in 2019, the fda approved a nasal version of ketamine to treat treatment depression and suicidal ideation. >> was the ketamine the contributing factor? >> as i stated, the experts said ketamine alone could have, but were there other substances in the system? the other was buprenorphine. it was a medicine which is a half opioid, if you will. it is still a narcotic, but used and can be used safely and appropriately with opioid use disorder. it can cause repiratory depression. that with the ketamine led to the death.

he did have underlining heart disease. acute ketamine can raise the heart rate. there was probably stress to the heart. ketamine is used to treat chronic pain. >> dr. azar, thank you. joe, let's pivot into a boost. neither of you drink coffee? >> i like coffee ice cream. >> all right. for you who do, hold on to your coffee. this holiday prank may send you into a fit of giggles. a woman in england had fun with her boyfriend as they pulled up to the drive-thru. she asked him to order a secret item on the christmas menu. >> can i order the federal aviation administration the faa-laa-laa-laa. are you serious? >> yeah. >> can i order the

faa-laa-laa-laa. is it off the secret menu? you don't have it in. >> we don't have a secret menu. >> there is no faa-laa-laa-laa latte on the menu. we should be. we send our sympathy to the guy. she said the latte would be free if he would sing it. >> why are you recording me ordering the faa-laa-laa-laa latte? >> he was a good sport. >> he went with it. twice. he came back to it. >> now the world knows. >> they should have whipped up something. coming up next, marissa parra has the news you need to make sure you get the packages delivered under the tree in time. >> laura, if you want your special order under the tree in time? dear wayfair.

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most common side effects include stomach pain, diarrhea, difficulty sleeping, back pain, and hot flashes. ♪ i got a good feeling ♪ ask your doctor about hormone-free veozah and enjoy more not flashes. we are back on saturday morning and you do not really need a calendar to know christmas is close. >> you may need help knowing how many days you have left to get the packages in the mail making sure they make it on time for christmas. >> we have nbc's marissa parra talking to santa and his elves so you know the details. >> reporter: i have it on good authority all of the deadlines you need to know. say you want to mail out the christmas card. the deadline for usps ground

shipping is today. it is not too late. time is running out. the christmas countdown is on. >> to win chester, massachusetts. >> reporter: and so is the race to get gifts on the road. this year, an extra wrinkle. christmas is on a monday. >> you think you have time to mail things for christmas and you realize you lost three days because of the saturday, sunday, monday holiday. >> does it make a difference with shipping deadlines? >> it does. we don't deliver on sundays. >> reporter: that means you have to act faster. friday, december 15th was the deadline for fedex ground shipping. you can pay more for options like same-day shipping until next friday. the u.p.s. deadline is next tuesday. you will have to check the web site for details. you have until wednesday for priority express with the usps. for u.p.s. drivers who will do

this 200 times a day, thinking inside and outside the box matters. >> what is the biggest pet peeve. >> people not packing right. >> this one. >> reporter: writing clear addresses and study boxes packed nice. >> get it there by christmas. >> reporter: might give you the news you are looking for. >> the sooner you get in, the better. if you wait and procrastinate, it is more stress and lines longer. >> you will be surrounded. >> reporter: his christmas wish? send packages before it's too late. ♪ heavenly peace ♪♪ >> reporter: so we can all feel a little holiday peace. let's use this as an example.

guys, if i were to send this five-pound box to you at 30 rock and do the cheapest option, ground shipping, it would run $20 to $30. if you wait for the last minute, it would run up to $250. guys, i love you, but i will admit that would be more expensive than what is inside. you have to wait until it gets there to find out. >> or get the singing discount. that lady. oh, my goodness. >> she was great. >> a five-pound box. you are ripped, marissa. >> reporter: i need to see this under the rockefeller christmas tree. >> thank you, marissa. one more check of the forecast from angie. >> you know, i'm a meteorologist and a procrastinator. that gave me a lot to do today. if you have things to do out and about this saturday, it looks a little busy with the light rain

in the midwest to the gulf coast. we have heavy rain we are tracking across parts of pulaski. florida. we have nice conditions for western half the country. if you have outdoor plans in the northern part of the country, today is the day to good morning at 6:47 on this saturday morning. working up to mostly clear skies. a little chill any spots especially in the valley. livermore, 35. 48 in san francisco. 44 in hayward. we are under a spare the air alert through the weekend because of smoke trapped near the surface. mostly a dry day today, but rain on the way coming tomorrow and and that is the look at the saturday forecast. thank you, angie. coming up, i'll introduce you to

some of the rockettes as they high kick their way through the holiday season. >> we are back after this.

just a block away from us here in studio 1a, the magical show of the season. >> alex is making the first trip to the rockettes today. they are famed and celebrated. you had a chance to meet the dancers. >> i get to do this every year. for two rockettes, it is special alongside each other. for so many, before dancing on the stage, they were watching

from the audience. >> are you sisters? >> we are sisters. yes. >> reporter: danielle remembers seeing the spectacular with her grandpa when she was 13. >> he must have seen the look on my face of pure joy. he leaned in and said he said you could do that if you wanted. >> reporter: ten years ago, she did. that's when jordan came to see her. >> that is the moment i wanted to be a rockette. >> reporter: jordan joined seven years ago. for the first time, they are right next to each other on the kick line. >> dancing seven years with the company together and having this moment where we are both getting to live our dream next to each other is incredible. >> i know she has my back on and off stage. >> reporter: they know who else has their backs.

danil morgan. one of 36 performing on stage at the time she is ready to step in when someone is out. >> it is a challenging job. we don't learn one track that a single the rockette will do in the show. we learn the entire show. >> you have a moments notice? >> there are times mid show and then we're on the stage. we are always doing our homework and prepared to go in. we want the audience to have the best show. >> reporter: an 18-year rockette vet, she knows her parents could be in the audience. >> she show up in the front row for a show. i'll hear my dad cheering. my parents are here. they didn't tell me. >> your parents don't warn you? >> no. i can see my mom's glasses reflecting with the lights. it is really special to know there's love coming at me performing. >> there are times when you are on stage and you recognize a voice? >> my dad goes yeah.

nobody else does. that. >> reporter: reminder that the rockettes are not in sync with each other, but with you, too. >> rockettes go until january 4th. angie and i went a few weeks ago. we had a chance to catch it in person. we have had 3d glasses. there is a 3d element to it. >> we are taking our daughters. this is something everyone raved about forever. about forever. how long have i lived in i have moderate to severe crohn's disease. now, there's skyrizi. ♪ things are looking up, i've got symptom relief. ♪ ♪ control of my crohn's means everything to me. ♪ ♪ control is everything to me. ♪ feel significant symptom relief at 4 weeks with skyrizi, including less abdominal pain and fewer bowel movements. skyrizi is the first il-23 inhibitor that can deliver remission and visibly improve damage of the intestinal lining.

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good morning. i'm kira klapper. coming up next on "today in the bay," chief investigators in santa clara county district attorney's office under investigation himself. we look into why he's been allowed to stay on the job until retiring next week. and time is running out to get your holiday packages delivered on time. we help you look at the important upcoming deadline. sunshine on this saturday but a big change in store for tomorrow. cinthia pimentel will have your

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good morning! it is saturday, december 16th. 7:00. a live look outside at christmas in the park in