an east coast super soaker sparking flooding in florida and packing gail force winds. our michelle grossman is tracking this powerful storm wreaking havoc from florida to maine this week. the border battle on capitol hill, we are live with a race to strike a deal on immigration before the new year and a funding fight that has critical aid for israel and ukraine caught in the middle. former president donald trump is under fire for controversial new comments on

immigration. why the biden campaign is comparing his words to hitler's. don't let a grinch steal christmas. the delivery scams to watch out for in the final sprint to the big day. and he's got the golden ticket. wonka wins big in its box office debut as the musical hits the holiday season sweet spot. it's monday, december 18th. "early today" starts right now. good morning, and thanks for joining us, i'm jessica layton. >> glad to be with you, i'm frances rivera. we begin this morning with a powerful storm system charging north to new england after bringing strong winds, heavy rain and flooding across the eastern seaboard. in new jersey thousands are waking up without power. on sunday parts of the carolinas were inundated with 9 to 11 inches of rain, some cars were unable to make it through the high water. the fire department patrolled streets to help rescue people from their vehicles. the same system slammed into florida saturday. >> the visibility here was so

bad that this car plunged off a sea wall near venice, florida. luckily the driver's vehicle stayed afloat until first responders arrived. in st. petersburg the storm caused an electrical surge sending bolts of electricity coursing along the power line. let's bring in meteorologist michelle grossman for what to expect today in the northeast. good morning. what a mess. >> it was a tough weekend for many and it will be a tough commute for many throughout the mid-atlantic, the northeast through new england. the rain will clear out of here in the northeast by 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., but it will linger in portions of new england. very heavy rain is falling right now especially where you see brighter colors, we're seeing very heavy downpours and will continue to see this over the next several hours. because of that we have 61 million people under flood alerts, a flood watch? green and a flash flood warning. we are seeing flash flooding at this point. on the backside of this system colder air is working in. we will see snow triggered throughout the great lakes into the appalachians, 31 million

people impacted by winter weather advisers, watches and warnings. we will also see winds gusting up to 71 miles per hour o in some spots especially along the coast of new york into new england. 46 million people impacted by wind alerts this morning because we will see the winds gusting to 40, 50, 60, even 70 miles per hour, that will cause outages and brings trees down as well. we will look at the week ahead in a few minutes. >> thank you so much. in israel there is continued outrage this morning after three israeli hostages were killed by friendly fire in gaza. joe testimony hall of fame, alon shamriz and samer talalka had escaped captivity only to be shot dead by the israeli defense forces. the idf offered disturbing details. the men came out of the building where they had tmsels written help in hebrew and sos in english. shirtless and waving a right flag.

>> what the idf admits were against their rules of engagement. they shot two of them dead, a third man tried to run away and despite screaming in hebrew he was shot and killed. in a meeting with soldiers in the gaza strip the idf chief of staff stressed to soldiers and commanders never shoot at people who appear to be surrendering. he noted that palestinians who are captured alive are often valuable for their intelligence saying, quote, we already have over 1,000. the incident has infuriated israelis and reinvigorated those who favor a truce and further prisoner exchanges with the leading israeli newspaper calling for a deal now, quote, saying that netanyahu's government cannot continue to expect the families to believe that the war is benefitting their loved ones. north korea has launched a suspected long-range ballistic missile into the sea this morning. that's according to reports from neighbors south korea and japan. it is the first test like this from the north in about a month. the launch comes after the north

openly criticized updated military drills by the u.s. and south korea for including nuclear operation scenarios. the south korean military said it strongly condemns what it's calling the north's reckless provocation. the funding fight still raging on capitol hill this morning. republicans are holding up financial support for israel and ukraine until the white house agrees to concessions for stepping up security along the border. nbc's drew petrimouix is in d.c. with the latest. it doesn't look like we will see a deal before the end of the year. >> that's right, frances. negotiations continued straight through the weekend, but there are still major sticking points. homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas joined the talks in the senate yesterday. the white house trying to craft a border security deal that will appease republicans without alienating democrats. both sides are looking for a middle ground on limits to admitting refugees under humanitarian parole, putting asylum seekers in detention while claims are hold and expanding powers to deport

migrants nationwide. but homeland security officials fear the changes could overwhelm the system. many legal border crossing points are already near breaking. lukeville, arizona, was forced to close because there were too many migrants. with those issues still up in the air republican leaders say a vote this week is not likely. >> the bottom line here is we feel like we're being jammed, we are not anywhere close to a deal. it will go into next year. >> we need to do something on immigration but we need to do it in a right way that keeps compassion there but protects our national security. so let me see what comes out of this and then i will tell you what i'm going to vote on. >> reporter: the border battle has put a funding package on hold that includes money for israel and ukraine. president biden has signaled he's willing to make significant compromises to get that funding passed. back to you. >> drew, thank you. former president donald

trump hits the campaign trail courting controversy over anti-immigration comments that the biden administration say echo remarks that were made by hitler. as the eye can a caucuses inch closer the republican field is heating up. vaughn hillyard has more. >> reporter: former president donald trump rallying his supporters in the early voting state of nevada. he comes a day after he made these controversial comments about immigrants at a rally in durham, new hampshire. >> they're poisoning the blood of our country. that's what they've done. >> reporter: the biden campaign accusing trump of parroting adolf hitler as similar wording was used in his writings. one of trump's gop rivals blasted him for the remark. >> he is disgusting and what he's doing is dog whistling to americans who feel absolutely under stress and strain from the economy. >> reporter: trump is promising the largest deportation program in the nation's history if

reelected in 2024 and requiring immigrants pass a strong ideological screening. trump also touted his relationship with kim jong-un, calling him, quote, very nice and referencing russian president vladimir putin. >> but even vladimir putin, has anybody ever heard of vladimir putin? of russia. says that biden -- and this is a quote -- politically motivated persecution of his political rival is very good for russia because it shows the rottenness of the american political system. >> reporter: in new polling from cbs news out of new hampshire nikki haley climbing to a strong second position, following the endorsement of the state's governor. but this is trump this weekend, attracting the new england masses. >> donald trump loves our country, he loves us. >> we need a new birth of freedom. >> reporter: a stark contrast to ron desantis as he struggles to

gain traction in the state. vaughn hillyard, nbc news. breaking news now, some drama for president biden late last night after a car crashed into his secret service motorcade. take a listen. the president was whisked away and is safe. the accident is under investigation but the secret service says they do not suspect foul play. cleanup efforts are happening this morning after a major oil spill in washington state. last week about 25,000 gallons of gasoline were released from a vault associated with bp's olympic pipeline in conway, washington. about 7,000 gallons have been recovered, but officials say more has evaporated. >> people are going to continue to smell t, but that doesn't mean that there are dangerous levels of gasoline. we have air monitors, community air monitors, placed in several different locations and there's

no risk to people. >> so far it isn't clear how long it will take to complete that cleanup but the epa says regulators will be overseeing the work until the area is environmentally safe. on to the forecast now. the east coast not the only part of the country facing severe weather alerts today. nbc meteorologist michelle grossman is tracking the snow that's about to fall over the great lakes. a little bit of everything, michelle. good morning. >> we do have a little bit of everything. we have snow in the great lakes, the appalachians and we could see a lot of snow, up to a foot in some spots. wet on the east coast, wet on the west coast, looking at snow falling in the great lakes, also that lingering storm system in the northeast, also new england. we will start to clear out in the northeast but the rain will linger throughout the northeast and that will bring flooding rains. on the west coast we are looking at the rain returning as well. we have a front moving on shore. we will see rain stretching from the pacific northwest all the way down through the state of california, much of the west coast will be wet today, wet tomorrow, wet wednesday. by wednesday that rain is going to be confined to california but

most of california will be seeing that rain falling, some of it will be heavy along the coast, we will see higher elevation snow in the sierras that could be heavy. nice and dry through the middle of the country on wednesday, sunshine throughout the tennessee throughout the south central states into the gulf coast, 60 degrees in jackson. all right. that's your monday forecast. >> michelle, thank you. turning to sunday night football where the ravens brought their talents and talons to duval. >> still in control of the situation but it gets a little bit harder as jackson steps back and flicks to the end zone. touchdown, isaiah blakely. >> the purple and black looked

unstoppable against the jaguars. lamar jackson and the offense rushed for over 250 yards while the defense took advantage of multiple miscues by the jags. ballot secures their 11th win of the year and becomes the first team in the afc to punch their ticket to the playoffs. "early today" is back in one minute with the new trouble brewing for anheuser-busch. brewing for anheuser-busch. and 'tis the seaso- bye, by. - later chest congestion. hello 12 hours of relief. 12 hours!! not coughing? hashtag still not coughing?! mucinex dm gives you 12 hours of relief from chest congestion and any type of cough, day or night. mucinex dm. it's comeback season. okay, so here's my most requested hack for stubborn odors. you'll need vinegar, a large salad bowl and... oh, hi! have you tried new tide fabric rinse?

it works after your detergent to fight deep odors 3 times better than detergent alone. i love that. try new tide fabric rinse. [stomach growling] it's nothing... sounds like something. ♪when you have nausea, heartburn, indigestion♪ ♪upset stomach, diarrhea♪ pepto bismol coats and soothes for fast relief when you need it most. and we are back now with a concerning update to a consumer alert. the fda says it's investigating if somebody deliberately tampered with ingredients used in certain cinnamon apple puree pouches using a cheaper product to make more money. it's called economically motivated adulteration and it may be responsible for the lead poisoning of at least 65 children. not clear yet where in the supply chain the puree may have been compromised but the fda

suspects the cinnamon may be the source of the unusually high lead levels. a new warning about the garages targeting your holiday deliveries, but first a major strike could be brewing at anheuser-busch. cnbc's steve cedric is here with the latest on that. good morning. >> yeah, really, really good to speak to you both today. good to see you, frances and jessica of course. let's get to this, first of all, they have authorized a strike at the budweiser anheuser-busch breweries, 95% have voted to authorize a strike. what they're after is improved wages, protect jobs, secure health care and retirement benefits for members. current agreement expires on february 29th. at the moment there are no dates set for negotiation. the la tins had a phrase for this, buyer beware because, yes, scammers are trying to dupe people expecting packages, fake shipping and delivery notifications, this according to

the federal trade commission. the feds use the detail to steal money and your sensitive personal information. be really careful when you get notifications because the scammers are sending notifications and messages about miss delivery and are trying to get your personal details. watch out for that ahead of this key period where tens of millions of packages are being delivered per day. >> tough to keep track of it all, too. steve, thank you. still to come on "early today," a sugary sweet weekend at the movies. and he's not the father, but he is the winner. thnee west onner for tv legend maury povich right after this.

my frequent heartburn had me taking antacid after antacid all day long but with prilosec otc just one pill a day blocks heartburn for a full 24 hours. for one and done heartburn relief, prilosec otc. one pill a day, 24 hours, zero heartburn. theo's nose was cause for alarm, so dad brought puffs plus lotion to save it from harm. puffs has 50% more lotion and brings soothing relief. don't get burned by winter nose. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. america's #1 lotion tissue. ma, ma, ma— ( clears throat ) for fast sore throat relief, try vicks vapocool drops. with two times more menthol per drop, and powerful vicks vapors to vaporize sore throat pain. vicks vapocool drops. vaporize sore throat pain. ♪ ♪

this year take the time to melt into your holiday moments with lindor. ♪ ♪ irresistibly smooth chocolate. from the lindt master chocolatier. my most important kitchen tool? my brain. so i choose new neuriva ultra. unlike some others, it supports 7 brain health indicators, including mental alertness from one serving. to help keep me sharp. try new neuriva ultra. think bigger.

at first, i used better than bouillon for broth. try new neuriva ultra. and then stir fry... sauces... even marinades! and now there's the culinary collection! italian herb for pasta... smoky chipotle for fajitas... it's like the deliciousness never ends! make everything better with better than bouillon! prepare to be amazed. >> inventor. may i present willy wonka's wild and wonderful wishy walker. please don't make me say that again. chocolate maker >> the best chocolate in the

world. the candyman made the box office taste good in weekend. "wonka" starring timothee chalamet debuted at number one with a sweet take of $39 million. the hunger games the ballad of song birds and snakes spent its third straight week at hundredor up while "the boy and the herron" fell to number three in its second weekend. maybe people are having a hard time to hit the movies with the hustle and bustle of the holidays. >> and some good ones for the holiday break coming up with the kids. now to the end of a different kind of daily double on friday, actress maya bialik announced she will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of "jeopardy." she was named along with former champion ken jennings as the permanent host of the beloved quiz show in 2022 following the death of alex trebek. jennings will serve as the main host.

in a separate statement "jeopardy" said they made the decision in order to maintain continuity for the viewers. a lot of fans wondering where she will end up. some saying it's about time, others saying, no, we liked the duo. >> either way it's just tough when it comes to replacing alex tr trebek, you can't. the results are in for daytime tv legend on saturday. maury povich received the lifetime achievement ward from his wife connie chewing. he is best known for his talk show which he hosted in 1991 until his retirement last year. in her speech she said a point to look beyond her husband's biggest accomplishment and commemorated all of his 67 years in television as a journalist and talk show host across the board from broadcast tv news to "you're not the father" it is amazing the run he has had. >> the line that everybody still says. when we come back, nba legend kareem abdul-jabbar

sidelined by a major injury. and telar trading the sleigh for a board, how santas paddle for charity. flash. but this is a not flash. ♪ i got a good feeling ♪ there's big news for women going through menopause. veozah - a prescription treatment for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms - the medical name for hot flashes and night sweats. with hormone-free veozah, you can have fewer hot flashes, and more not flashes. veozah is proven to reduce the number and severity of hot flashes, day and night. for some women, it can start working in as early as one week. don't use veozah if you have cirrhosis, severe kidney problems, kidney failure, or take cyp1a2 inhibitors. increased liver blood test values may occur. your doctor will check them before and during treatment. 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. want luxury hair repair that doesn't cost $50? pantene's pro-vitamin formula repairs hair. as well as the leading luxury bonding treatment. for softness and resilience, without the price tag. if you know... you know it's pantene. (crowd cheers) sore throat got your tongue? mucinex instasoothe sore throat medicated drops. uniquely formulated for rapid relief that lasts and lasts. that's my babyyy! -ow! get mucinex instasoothe. it's comeback season. lately, my skin seems dry and sensitive. my dermatologist recommended all free clear for my laundry. it's free of dyes and perfumes, for a clean that's gentle on skin. if it touches my skin, i clean it with all free clear the number one brand recommended by dermatologists. mr. clean magic eraser powers through tough messes. so it makes it look like i spent hours cleaning, and you know i didn't. it makes my running shoe look like new! it's amazing. it's so good.

it makes it look like i have magical powers. magic eraser and sheets make cleaning look easy. [stomach growling] it's nothing... sounds like something. ♪when you have nausea, heartburn, indigestion♪ ♪upset stomach, diarrhea♪ pepto bismol coats and soothes for fastim. you need . ♪♪ vicks vapostick provides soothing, non-medicated vicks vapors. easy to apply for the whole family.

vicks vapostick. and try vicks vaposhower for steamy vicks vapors. joe we are back with what you need to know "early today." nba hall of fame kareem abdul-jabbar is recovering after a nasty fall at a concert this past weekend. the 76-year-old was rushed to the hospital after suffering a broken hip. he had surgery saturday. father/son duo tiger and charlie woods shot 61 at this weekend's pnc championship in orlando. team woods didn't take home the win but finished with a five-way tie for fifth place. over 500 million wordle games were annualized and adieu came in first place as the most common starter word. researchers found that the four-vowel word put players at a disadvantage with a 3.6% chaps of failure. santa paddle week was

organized for people battling cancer. it took place at lake washington and raised nearly $5,000. "early taywi brit ck.od" lle gh (oven ding audio mnemonic) tyson boneless buffalo bites and hot wings have that tasty kick of flavor... ...so they're perfect for any get-together ...if there are any left when your guests arrive. tyson any'tizers® chicken. more kicks of flavor. more smiling snackers. more to love. tyson. a mystery! jessie loves playing detective. but the real mystery was her irritated skin. so, we switched to tide pods free & gentle. it cleans better, and doesn't leave behind irritating residues. and it's gentle on her skin. tide free & gentle is epa safer choice certified. it's got to be tide. - bye, bye cough. - later chest congestion. hello 12 hours of relief. 12 hours!! not coughing? hashtag still not coughing?! mucinex dm gives you 12 hours of relief from chest congestion and any type of cough, day or night. mucinex dm. it's comeback season. how white do you think your teeth really are? mucinex dm. let's try the tissue test. ooof, still yellow. whitening toothpaste can only do so much. there's toothpaste white,

and there's crest 3d whitestrips white. so much whiter! crest. there's good news this morning about stepping up after tough times. our kate snow tells us about a community bringing holiday magic to families in maui. >> oh, my gosh. look at that. >> reporter: there is joy and hope once again in maui. >> is that an ipad? >> oh, my god. >> reporter: kids here opening gift, after gift. >> it's an ipad.

>> reporter: after gift ahead of christmas. >> oh, my goodness. >> i got an ipad! >> reporter: for these children this outpouring of love was overwhelming after so many difficult months. >> thank god there's still good people around the world, huh? >> reporter: this weekend's massive toy drive was organized for familiesimpacted by this summer's devastating wildfires in lahaina. >> after the wildfires everyone was really affected obviously so we wanted to ease that by helping the kids and making sure that the kids had what they needed this christmas. we ended up with 881 registered. >> reporter: those children got to make a list of what they wanted, their wishes filled by donations from around the world. >> it's just overwhelming and a blessing for all of us. >> welcome. have fun. >> reporter: for alexis who lost everything, the greatest gift was being together again. >> so that they can just have the opportunity, god, to just walk through those new doors,

god, that you have for them, lord. in jesus name we pray. amen. >> amen. >> mahalo. you guys are amazing. thank you for all of your hard work. >> reporter: giving thanks for blessings great and small. >> thank you. >> reporter: sharing a traditional meal. ♪ >> reporter: and music. >> it feels really good to be able to be amongst our community. we get to see the happiness on our kids' faces when they receive presents and that they're thought about. that they are not forgotten. >> thank you, guys, so much for doing this. >> reporter: friends, neighbors and ohana, family, uniting to bring the spirit of the season alive. >> i haven't ever hugged so many strangers in my life and i have to say it's a healthy habit. people talk about aloha. hawaii is aloha. it's love and it's acting with

kindness first. it's just taking care of each ot other. >> there is a community that can appreciate the giving spirit during these holidays, it is that community right there. even better that it comes even with a hug. >> that's right. such resiliency, too, from what we saw a couple of months ago. thanks for startin

flooding up and down the east coast. roads covered, cars submerged. our team is tracking where the storm is heading next. three israeli hostages escaped captivity in gaza, only to be gunned down by israeli soldiers. it has sparked outrage with the country's government and given new life to calls for a ceasefire. could this be a turning point in the peace effort? it's not santa in the air this holiday season. it's police drones. the tech that aimed at