a massive springtime blizzard bearing down from the

west coast to the northern plains. michelle grossman is here tracking the very latest. the clock is ticking for donald trump, arriving in new york overnight ahead of a hush money case hearing. and with just hours left to post a nearly half a billion dollars civil fraud bond. in russia, four men are now charged in the mass shooting that killed over 130. isis claiming responsibility, yet president putin is putting blame elsewhere. our team is live with the latest developments. dramatic moments on the high seas. flames billowing out of a cruise ship funnel in the bahamas as we learn of an accident on a separate cruise ship that killed two crewmembers. and dodgers superstar shohei ohtani set to speak for the first time on the gambling scandal tied to his former interpreter, as we learn how the rise of sports betting is affecting athletes' mental health. it's monday, march 25th. "early today" starts right now.

good morning. happy monday to you. i'm frances rivera. the first weekend of spring felt like the height of winter for many across the country as millions remain under alerts this morning. parts of the northern plains, midwest, and northeast battling heavy snow with as much as 2 inches falling per hour in some spots. and around 3 feet blanketed maine and vermont. minnesota's twin cities could see up to a poot of snow by tuesday. in williams, iowa the blowing snow making for hazardous driving. and out west welcome sight for skiers. the tahoe report getting 27 fresh inches since friday. rain drenched parts of pennsylvania up into new york city, where high winds uprooted a tree that landed right on a car. let's bring in now nbc meteorologist michelle grossman who is tracking the storms for us. where are they all headed, michelle? good morning. >> good morning. great to see you. more snow on the plains, the

upper midwest. some spots are seeing more in this storm than they did all winter season long. so we're seeing the rain also falling, the chance for storms as we go throughout the afternoon. we have many under alerts. millions under winter alerts. 12 million. 67 under wind alerts. we're going to see damaging winds as we head throughout this monday. we have an area of low pressure. that cold side that is bringing the heavy snow, important down in some spots. we have the heavy rain along the front as it moves off to the east. torrential, the risk for severe storms. we could see some strong tornadoes too with any of the storms, especially in portions of the mississippi valley. then as we go throughout tomorrow, slowly the snow will be tapering off into the midwest. strong storms still in the ohio, also the east central and move off to the east on wednesday. nine million under the risk for strong storms as we go out to the evening hours we could see winds gusting up to 68 miles per hour. frances, when i come back, we'll take a look at the week ahead. >> we will see you then, michelle. thank you. >> sure. today is an important deadline for donald trump. the former president must post a bond today of nearly half a billion dollars as he tries to

appeal the massive judgment for financial fraud. if he can't come up with the money, some of his namesake properties could be seized. here is nbc's vaughn hillyard. >> reporter: former president donald trump on the brink of financial peril. >> we have a great company but they want to take it away. >> reporter: he has just hours left to find more than $450 million in cash to post an appeal bond in new york before monday's judge-ordered deadline and if he fails to do that, new york attorney general letitia james can begin seizing his major properties and other assets. >> it's all politics. >> reporter: trump claims the money is not an issue, even on his social media account that he has nearly $500 million in cash on hand, but in court his lawyers are making a different claim filing a motion earlier this week to delay him having to post the bond, saying he did not have the necessary cash. in that motion, they wrote that the current bond demand is a practical impossibility and that 30 insurance companies had already rejected his terms. every single person came to him

saying hey, can i get a half billion dollar bond. maria, they were laughing. >> reporter: to avoid the a.g. from taking the next steps, he could potentially receive a large loaner financial gift from others, have a sale of properties or declare bankruptcy. >> if he does not have funds to pay off the judgment, we will ask the judge to seize his assets. >> reporter: james has already filed judgments on trump's seven springs estate and the national golf club in west chester. she could also potentially move to acquire his 72-story skyscraper on wall street, or his fifth avenue trump tower. this crucial deadline coming the same day that trump will be in new york for a hearing related to his pending criminal trial over his alleged scheme to cover up hush money payments to stormy daniels around the 2016 election. >> our thanks to vaughn for that report. as the supreme court gets set to hear another major reproductive rights case, one former justice is speak out on

the controversial dobbs ruling, which overturned roe v. wade. former justice stephen breyer spoke to kristen welker on "meet the press" about the infamous leak of the ruling, saying it was unfortunate, and he would be amazed that any judge was behind it. and he also weighed in on the future of dobbs. >> can you see a world of possibility in which dobbs is overturned one day in another 50 years, say? >> don't know. >> it's possible? >> oh, it's possible. but who knows. >> breyer's comments come as the high court is set to hear arguments tuesday on whether to limit access to the abortion pill. in russia, four men have been charged over a mass shooting at a concert hall in moscow friday. in their court appearance, all four showed signs of ill-treatment, according to the associated press. one of them appeared barely to be conscious. two of the other suspects admitted their guilt, according to the court itself. at least 137 people are

confirmed dead after the massacre. dozens are still missing. for the latest, let's go to josh lederman, who is tracking developments for us. good morning, josh. what's the latest? >> good morning, frances. the court in moscow says that all four of these detained suspects are citizens of tajikistan, the ex-soviet republic. they appeared to be badly beaten prior to that appearance in court. one of them had a major bandage over his ear following russian media reports that his interrogators might have cut off part of his ear. another one was wheeled into court in a wheelchair, kept his eyes closed throughout those proceedings. and this is the first time we have seen these suspects in court since friday's attack on that concert in moscow where camouflaged gunmen stormed in, killing now 137 people, nearly 100 still believed to be in the hospital in what is the most deadly attack on russian soil in many years.

now isis, the islamic state group, has claimed responsibility forbe this attack, but so far we have not heard the russian government say whether they believe that claim of responsibility from isis. in fact, president putin has seemed to try to link this attack to ukraine, which is raising major concerns about whether he might use this as a pretext to expand his war in ukraine. the white house, meanwhile, says ukraine had nothing to do with this. this was a complete isis attack on russian soil. frances? >> josh lederman for us. josh, thank you. two emergencies on separate cruise ships in the bahamas over the weekend. a fire broke out on a carnival cruise ship saturday, possibly from lightning strikes. it came just a day after two crewmembers on a holland america cruise were killed in a work accident. here is marissa parra. >> reporter: this weekend, a relaxing cruise turning terrifying for passengers. >> holy crap. >> that is not good.

>> reporter: heath barnes filmed this video of flames billowing from the back of the carnival freedom cruise ship. what was going through your minds? >> i was shocked. i looked out let and you're not supposed to see black smoke and fire shooting out of the tail end of the cruise. >> reporter: the ship was just off the coast of the bahamas when carnival says the fire started in the exhaust funnel during severe weather. >> i'd say 2:30, 2:45 the loudest thunder, lightning clap that i've ever heard in my life happened. it scared us so bad. >> carnival saying in a statement, "while we continue to investigate multiple reports of a lightning strike, inspections today revealed the damage is more than we first thought and will require an immediate repair," adding, "there were no guests hurt." this now the second time in two years the carnival freedom funnel has caught on fire. >> this is a serious and sensitive situation. >> reporter: no guests injured that that 2022 incident either. meanwhile, bahamian authorities are investigating a deadly incident aboard a holland cruise ship. on friday the company says

accidental steam release in an engineering space on board killed two crewmembers. >> i met a couple. they said that they saw a burst of steam erupt from the side of the ship. >> reporter: laney dawes was on board and said the mood immediately turned somber. >> people were crying. there was a moment of silence when the captain announced what happened, his voice broke. he started crying and that just was absolutely heartbreaking. >> reporter: holland america says the ship was determined to be fully operable. the cause still under investigation. marissa parra, nbc news, miami. all right. turning back to the weather as this week is just getting started, let's bring back nbc meteorologist michelle grossman with a look at what's ahead tore for the week. hi there. >> we're looking at a winter storm in the early part of spring. some snow pouring down, meaning throughout the northern plains and to the meth. the central plains could see some snow as well. on the warm side, we're looking at a storm threat, heavy rain. out west looking at rain and

snow looking really good from new england down to the southeast with plenty of sunshine, and temperatures right around normal. then as we could throughout wednesday, below normal. but the snow lessening throughout the upper midwest. widespread showers from new england down to the gulf coast, the carolinas could see heavy rain. we're looking at rain and snow once again throughout the pacific northwest, coastal rain throughout california, oregon, and washington.e for some severe storms throughout portions of the lower mississippi valley. 78 in houston. 72 in shreveport. all right. that's your monday forecast. >> okay, thank you, michelle. up next, the gambling scandal embroiling shohei ohtani's interpreter, putting the spotghon hlit ow the growth of sports betting is impacting athletes' mental health. [dog whimpers]

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all eyes on the city of angels this afternoon as l.a. dodgers star shohei ohtani gets ready to address the media. it will be the two-way layer's first time speaking to the press since his interpreter was fired by the team over gambling and theft allegations last week. it is happening with the backdrop of the rising popularity of sports betting in the united states, growing into a multibillion industry, according to analysts. here is sam brock with how the industry's rise affects an athlete's mental health. >> reporter: the ads are everywhere. in every stadium, for every sport, here, overseas, and definitely on tv, with big names. >> draftkings showing up big for the super bowl. >> hey, tom. >> hi, wayne gretzky. >> it helps to think like your favorite player. >> reporter: sports gambling pretty much coast-to-coast. just five years ago, only one state allowed betting, nevada. but after a supreme court ruling, now as many as 38 states, plus d.c. allow it.

many of them online. the american gaming association saying americans put $121 billion down on games last year. that's up 30% from 2022. but that shift changing the game for athletes too. in some cases, taking a toll. like for indiana pacers star tyrese halliburton, who says he is seeing a sports psychologist and says gamblers clock his feet to criticize his performance. >> to half the world, i'm helping them make money on draftkings. i'm a prop. >> reporter: and his feet is hardly the only one. toronto raptors forward talking about the racist abuse because of gambling. >> some said i choose the wrong slave. he needed me to score ten. >> these are human beings. they don't owe you anything. >> reporter: the problem is not just permeating the pros. >> that's a time-out on betting. >> reporter: that's why the ncaa is starting this draw the line psa to address gambling and the

harassment that can come with it. >> a threat at one of our championship last year was serious enough that we provided 24/7 protection throughout the tournament to that team. imagine trying to play your best under those circumstances. >> reporter: lawmakers and regulators now taking action, like in ohio, where there is a law banning specific bets on college players and their performance. or a bill in west virginia, heading to the governor's desk, banning people from sports betting if they have a pattern of harassment. and now there is movement on capitol hill too. congressman paul tonka planning to introduce the safe bet act. it would ban betting during live sports events, regulate language in the ads, block sportsbook from using ai to track habs and tern people. and track habits a better can make during a 24-hour period. >> i think it's tragic that an industry can focus in that way and really prey upon a certain audience that is impacted and is

at high risk. the onus is on the gambler. we're trying to put that onus back on to the sportsbooks. >> reporter: and as march madness plays out, experts urging viewers to enjoy the games and support the players. >> the people you're betting are on 18 to 23-year-olds. seeing them as human i think helps the whole situation. >> our thanks to sam for that report. still to come, sand worms, ghosts, and super heroes won't be the only thing you can see in imax this year. we have all the details on the olympiopinc eng ceremonies, coming to screens as big as the eiffel tower, right after this. for advanced science that visibly repairs signs of aging... try olay regenerist micro-sculpting cream. it delivers 10 benefits in every jar for younger-looking skin, visibly firming, lifting, and smoothing wrinkles. olay regenerist penetrates the skin's surface, to boost regeneration at the surface cellular level for continuous improvement. to visibly repair signs of aging,

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>> busting makes me feel good. >> those ghost busters came and cleaned up at the box office this weekend. the fifth installment in the series, "frozen empire" scared up a $45 million opening weekend. previous weekend champions "dune: part 2" and "kung fu panda 4 came in at two and three, while sydney sweeney's film debuted at number five. ghostbusters a billion behemoth internationally. >> it's always the old ones that come back. but sydney sweeney i'm surprised came in that far down. >> that's tough, because she's the one behind it. she produced that. brought in her two grandmas playing nuns as well. a tough hit for her. >> yeah, that is. now to a different kind of spectacle that you'll be able to catch on the biggest screen possible this summer. nbc announced on friday that will it be bringing its coverage of the opening ceremony of the 2024 paris olympics to over 150 imax screens in the u.s.

it follows last week's announcement that nbc will be partners with amc to broadcast select daytime events from the games at theaters across the country. of course, you'll be able to catch around the clock olympics on smaller screens starting july 26th on the networks of nbc. >> it's going to be so fun to have this whole new experience when it comes to the olympics. it's opening ceremonies not inside a stadium or arena, but along the river seine just like this. it's going to be so fun. and for everybody else who can't be there, just to be able to watch it in the big screens too, all the action. >> it's like the new thing getting that experience and the big screen. it's going to be fun. >> the whole thing. when we come back, why chick-fil-a may be ruffling a few feathers with its chicken policy. and ifoue lu y'rcky, you'll be able to catch a glimpse of a celestial show going on right now. emerge as you. with tremfya®, most people saw 90% clearer skin at 4 months... ...and the majority stayed clearer, at 5 years. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections

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lunar eclipse. it's happening right now. so it will make the moon look darker than usual with a gradient-like shadow. chick f-fil-a is rejecting s pledge to serve antibiotic-free chicken. it says it will limit animal antibiotics use. the mega millions jackpot has grown to an estimated $1.1 billion after no one matched the winning numbers on friday. it's now the eighth largest prize in lottery history. "early today" will be right back. [dog whimpers] [thinking] why always the couch? does he need to go to puppy school? get his little puppy diploma? how much have i been spending on this little guy? when your questions about life turn into questions about money... there's erica. the virtual financial assistant to help you spend, save, and plan smarter. only from bank of america.

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jose diaz-balart brings us the stories of those spreading love and joy across the country. ♪ >> reporter: this is what honor looks like. a sea of american flags as hundreds of probationary firefighters in new york city unite for their spirit run. before graduating from the academy. >> how about a big round of applause for our probationary firefighters. >> reporter: now the newest members of new york's bravest. and when we talk about heroes, it's moments like this that live forever in our hearts. >> no, no! that's sophie shaving her own head to support mom tracy, who is battling stage 4 ovarian cancer. sophie making sure her mom knows she will never fight alone.

>> at the end of the day, our mind goes to kick this cancer in the butt. she supports me, which is just amazing. >> reporter: and here is a milestone jennifer duggan will never forget. >> please stand so we can honor you. please stand. >> reporter: there she is getting her masters degree at tennessee tech, when all of the sudden they played this message from her son william serving in the military far from home. >> hey, mom, i know i'm not there for graduation. so i figured i'd make you a video and tell you. i'm proud of you. congratulations, and i love you. keep pushing. i'll see you soon. >> reporter: so take me back to that day you saw him on that screen. >> oh my goodness, it was so emotional. my heart just exploded. i'm so proud of what he is doing. this is his second deployment within two years. >> reporter: jennifer also serves, a proud member of the

tennessee national guard. how does it make you feel as a parent to know and see that your son gets it. >> when he decided to join the military, i said will, are you sure you want to do this? and he said mama, you did it. i just want to be like you. >> a parent's joy. our thanks to jose diaz-balart for that. paris just brought back a special tradition. it's called a cafe waiters race. so dozens of waiters carry trays of coffee, water and croissants through a mile long course. at the end, judges check to see the amount of liquid spilled. this was first held in 1914, but hasn't happened in 30 years. not quite an olympic sport

a dangerous spring blizzar