it's set to create thousands of jobs here in the bay area and give south bay commuters an alternative decades in the making. the historic ground-breaking is today for the b.a.r.t. extension project. the earthquakes and tsunami warnings in indonesia sparked new concerns. why bay area experts fear a small change in water levels here could threaten much of the bay shore. and take a look at this. it looks like something you'd see in the midwest, but this video was taken right here in california. we'll tell you where. a live look outside. rain coming down. where will it hit on this

thursday, april 12th. this is "today in the bay." good morning to you. it's dark and early on this thursday morning. 4:30, i'm marla tellez in for john kelly today. >> and i'm laura garcia-cannon. let's talk about that forecast with meteorologist christina loren. >> severe weather in the bay area, not just the rain. we've got lightning and gusty winds out there. good morning to you. let's take it right to the radar. we've got the south bay and the peninsula right now getting slammed. this will continue as we head through the next couple hours. that means expect a rough morning commute. we already have flood reports all across the bay area and expecting more to come in as we head throughout the morning hours. we'll continue to track this linef showers and thunderstorms for you as we head throughout the morning. switching gears, let's take a look at your drive. the good news i can bring to the table is even with all that active weather, we don't have

any major accidents from the highways, but the san mateo bridge, we've got slick conditions out there and so give yourself plenty of time. we'll track this system and let you know when drier, better weather returns to the bay area. back to you, ladies. >> thank you very much, christina. an historic ground-breaking will take place later today. >> as state government bigwigs join in the celebration for the b.a.r.t. extension here. stephanie trong is here with the latest on this project. good thing it's a rain-or-shine event. >> reporter: yeah, bring your umbrellas if you're headed to the celebration today, that's for sure. the fremont station is the southernmost point for b.a.r.t. right now but we've been talking about this extension project for decades now. this ground-breaking is kind of the first physical sign that this project is really happening. the construction at the warm springs site is already well under way and that's slated to open in 2015 but this bariessa

stop -- we're expecting many officials, including senator dianne feinstein and norman mineta. the ten-mile project is slated to finish in 2016. in the first year alone it's estimated the extension will serve an average of 23,000 daily commuters, so a pretty big number there, hopefully relieving the notorious congestion of 6808 and 880 in fremont. we are talking about 16,000 direct and indirect jobs related to this construction. the ground-breaking is slated for 2:00 this afternoon on mayberry road. before that there's a celebration at 11:30. as you can see the wind and rain christina was talking about, make sure you're ready for that if you're headed that way.

4:33 right now. people in banda aceh are still on edge following two massive earthquakes. many residents chose to spend the night in tents and shelters rather than return to their home. yesterday's 8.6 and 8.2 earthquakes raised tsunami alerts around the entire indy yap ocean but the big wave never arrived. there were other earthquakes that struck in other parts of the world yesterday and scientists here in california are closely monitoring all of this activity, jean elle talked about what it could mean for the bay area. >> reporter: scientists are reviewing data from four large earthquakes. the first two were over magnitude 8. they were 8.6 and 8.2 off the coast of sumatra in the indian ocean. panicked, people ran for higher ground until the tsunami warning was lifted. tsunamis were not generated

because the earth moved side to side instead of up and down. we now know tsunamis far away can damage california's coast. it happened in 2011 when the one from japan damaged the san jose harbor. with funding in jeopardy, these earthquakes give lawmakers something to consider. >> today's earthquake is another reminder that these earthquakes can happen not only once but happen in pairs. 8.6 and 8.2. a tsunami wave could strike the coast of california at any time. >> reporter: several hours after the quakes in the indian ocean a magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit off the oregon followed by 6.5 quake off the coast of mexico. there are no reports of damage. the usgs does not think one triggered the other. scientists say we should all take this seismic activity seriously and as a reminder because they are expecting a strong earthquake to strike on

the hayward fault here in the bay area at any time. jean elle, nbc today in the bay. and some local leaders say the earthquakes and tsunami warnings are a reminder of what can happen here if there's severe flooding. experts say a lot of work is needed in the south bay where land sits below sea level and large corporate campuses are only protected by small, aging levees. facebook, google and lockheed martin are among the businesses that could be vulnerable to flooding. senator dianne feinstein will call today for a billion dollars in public works projects to rebuild lef anothers and wetlands. two men were shot in the head last night at a fairfield bar near travis air force base called perk's place. one man died at the scene, the other is in serious condition. an argument between two groups got out of control and someone opened fire. investigators say they're looking for more than one suspect. they don't think anyone from the

air force base was involved. bar owners in walnut creek will have a chance to vent tonight over a proposed crackdown on their businesses. the city wants all alcohol serving establishments to comply with new performance standards. some say that ordinance would jeopardize their profits and even shut them down. the city has been searching for a solution to a late-night spike in violence at bars in the downtown area. 61-year-old mike marshall was last seen on march 31st when he became separated from a friend while hiking. his body was found yesterday in the little sur river. his older brother, fred marshall, got lost while searching last week. he was found a few hours later alive and well about a quarter mile away. the uc board of regents is reacting to the investigative report on the pepper spraying

incidents. gavin newsom says things have to change. >> we have taken this very seriously and i hold myself accountable to making sure we follow through with the reforms, we don't just shove this under the rug and say we're sorry and then say we've learned our lesson, but not demonstrate from an institutional perspective that that lesson is learned. we've got to institutionally change the way we approach these protests. >> the almost 200-page report calls the use of pepper spray unreasonable and also says a lieutenant used a canister not approved for campus police. the report also criticizes university administration and the chancellor for last november's confrontation with student protesters. it is 4:38 right now. the search for missing teenager sierra lamar goes to new depths as investigators probe reservoirs near her home. in the meantime volunteers are still holding occupy hope for her safe return. george kiriyama has more from

morgan hill. >> reporter: good morning. hundreds of volunteers continue to come out every day, even as we near the one-month mark. they admit it's been physically and mentally challenging, but it's nothing compared to the pain the family is going through. poster after poster inside the command post, they have messages of encouragement for the 500 volunteers who come out every day. wednesday afternoon volunteers went door to door and talked to neighbors, hoping their conversations would spark, something even just a memory. santa clara county deputies are using sonar machines to search nearby reservoirs. it's the same technology used to help find laci peterson after she finished. >> you have to keep believing. if you believe and stay positive as someone that's here every day, then everyone else that comes in will stay positive with you. >> reporter: the family created this website that's called help us find sierra lamar. george kitiyama, today in the

bay. take a look at this video here. forecasters say this f-1 tornado touched down just south of stockton yesterday afternoon. the tornado knocked over an empty tractor-trailer and destroyed a shed, but the good news, no one was hurt. since 1950, about 350 tornados have been reported in the golden state. >> that's pretty amazing to see. you get those weather patterns up there, a lot going on. a lot going on today, in fact. let's check in with meteorologist christina loren. >> yeah, we had thunderstorms right here in the bay area yesterday and there's more of the same in the forecast today, although the heaviest rainfall is rolling through the bay area right now. you can vividly see that. i want to widen out and show you, finally starting to get a little bit of a break up in the north bay but you were slammed about an hour ago so expect areas of flooding up there. there's more rain on the way as well. take you down south along the peninsula, starting to clear up here. look at what just developed in

the east bay. heavy rain in oakland, san ramon. finally in the south bay we are getting some pretty severe weather, heavy rain. embedded within those showers, we have thunderstorms. so give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination safely. we'll see the heaviest rain before 10:00. as we head throughout this afternoon, we'll pick up daytime heating so another round of thunderstorms certainly possible. we'll keep tabs on that for you throughout the day. tomorrow, big game at at&t park and rain is likely. we'll take you through that forecast. first, let's take a look at what you can expect today.li temperatures only ending up in the 50s and that means if you do have to commute to work this morning, it's going to be cold, rainy, you want to give yourself plenty of extra time. we've got reports of flooding in marin county this morning. highway 101 at lucky drive, so travel very cautiously through there, especially if you drive one of those vehicles where you ride low to the ground. as we head throughout the rest of the day, we'll continuously

see these reports come in but the good news is we don't have any accidents to tell you about at all right now. high wind advisory has been issued f all your bay area bridges with gusts in excess of 50 miles per hour from time to time. no joke this morning, stay alert, hold on to your steering wheel. we'll keep you updated. back to you, ladies. >> thanks, christina. 4:42. more than a month after the killing of trayvon martin, the suspect is finally behind bars. t the charges george zimmerman will face in court today. plus decision 2012. why women's issues are becoming an issue for the top candidates. and buckle up. safety experts say many children's car seats aren't installed correctly. why they say car manufacturers are partly to blame.

welcome back, everyone. a good thursday morning to you. what a beautiful live look outside overlooking san francisco. rain, thunder coming down this morning. pretty rapid storms hitting the bay area. we'll check in with christina loren throughout the morning.

she's also got a look at the morning commute. 4:45. the neighborhood watch captain who admitted to shooting and killing a florida teenager more than a month ago is headed to court today. prosecutors announced just yesterday they were charminging george zimmerman with second-degree murder. zi zimmerman had been in hiding but is now behind bars. his new attorney says he will likely enter a plea at today's hearing. >> we plead not guilty presently and keep the process moving forward until you figure out what's going on. >> zimmerman's attorney also says he will be seeking a bond that will allow zimmerman to be released as the proceedings progress. zimmerman says he shot 17-year-old trayvon martin out of self defense. turning to decision 2012. as the field thins, the top presidential candidates are honing in on two key issues, women and the economy. mitt romney taking heat from president obama on women's issues. obama supporters recently ran a tv ad that criticizing romney's

views on apportion and planned parenthood. but romney is pushing back claiming nearly all the jobs lost under the obama ministration, 90%, have been lost by women. >> also has some explaining to do to the women are america. this president's economic policies, they have failed american women. >> republicans are accusing president obama of class warfare by witching the so-called buffet rule for taxpayers, requiring millionaires to pay at least 30% in taxes. wall street could be bouncing back from a week-long slide. for a check of the markets this morning. we turn to jackie deangeles live at cnbc headquarters. >> reporter: good morning to you. the futures are higher today after wall street broekke its five-day losing streak yesterday. the economy is growing at a moderate pace in all parts of the country. the asian markets rose

overnight, european markets mixed this morning. here in the u.s. we'll get some data on unemployment, inflation and the trade deficit, so watch for those. we saw the dow rising 89 points to close at 12,805. the nasdaq up 25 points to close at 3,016. meantime ford is teaming up with dow chemical to explore how to use carbon fiber in vehicles in order to make them more fuel efficient. by 2020 ford aims to cut 250 to 750 pounds from its lineup of new cars and trucks partly by using lighter materials. that will allow it to get more miles to the gallon. samsung takes another stab, updating its galaxy device to let it work as a universal remote for your entertainment system. it will be available in the next few weeks. marla, back over to you. we want to check the forecast now with meteorologist christina loren.

look at it coming down. >> yeah, we don't usually get active weather at this magnitude here in the bay area. take a look at what we're dealing with this morning. the radar tells the story. look at that, we've got a strong front and it's warm enough out there no isolated thunderstorms embedded within this front, so take it easy this morning as you make your way out that front door. obviously this is not the first round of rain we've had to deal with. your grounds are already is the rated and it is dangerous this morning. we are getting a little bit of a break in the north bay but all of the active weather pushing into the south bay. the east bay getting slammed. that's going to be the story the next two hours, but this front is moving quickly. you can imagine with heavy downpours coming down over your major highways, it's going to be a rough drive so give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination safely. i just want to focus on this line of thunderstorm that say just developed to the south of santa cruz. that's going to bring us some very gusty winds and we already have reports of wind gusts in

excess of 60 miles per hour in los gatos at the surface. it's one of those mornings that i keep saying leave early, make sure you're alert and hold on to your steering wheel even if you're on the tired side. try your best to stay alert and focus because you could get caught off guard by one of these gusty winds. we stop the clock on your futurecast at 8:00 a.m. we start to get a little bit of a break. more spotty activity. thunderstorms expected this afternoon. then tomorrow morning as you make your way to work, yeah, 5:00 a.m. another round of heavy rain comes through but that should clear out, start to turn lighter at least by 1:00 p.m. that is game time, the home opener at at&t park. what i have been forecasting since yesterday, rain delays. i don't think it will be a rainout, but i do believe we will see some delays because a lot of moisture will come through the city of san francisco. the whole thing blows out finally saturday, looking towards a comfortable sunday. temperatures back in the 70s. we've got the sunshine on the way, we're just going to have to

wait for it. 67 degrees saturday. 71 by sunday and then we hold on to that fair stretch of weather all the way through wednesday. we'll be tracking the showers and thunderstorms all morning. we want to hear from you as well. feel free to post on our facebook page, you are our weather watchers. it's 4:51 right now. a new study out shows parents may be getting frustrated over their child's car seats and it's causing them to make some dangerous decisions. the insurance institute for highway safety released a study on the latch restraint system that is required on every car to accommodate car seats. a lot of parents have trouble accessing those latches and end up installing the seats incorrectly. >> we think many parents may believe the tether is optional, but it isn't optional, it's absolutely essential to getting the best protection from a forward-facing child seat. >> the institute says poor design by automakers could be

partially to blame. a world renowned violinist is hoping to hit the right tune over an age-old problem. he will be dropping by the ucsf campus a little today and meet with a 101-year-old professor who specializes in treating arthritis. he has a personal interest in arthritis because his daughter suffers from it. the two will talk about public policy on the chronic disease. also happens to be that the professor plays the violin as well. >> what an incredible player. it is 4:52 right now. the giants home opener, we've been talking about it, is tomorrow. but after last night's game, some fans might be getting a little worried. it's pretty early in the season, though. how they fared against the rockies. hey, your high speed internet here at home...

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4:55 right now. maybe it was the haircut. giants ace tim lincecum struggled last night against the colorado rockies as the team gears up for tomorrow's home opener. tim is sporting a new shorter haircut for last night's game. the giants started strong but couldn't see it through. after going up 7-6 in the fourth inning, the giants lost steam. colorado won it kind of big,

17-8. meantime better luck for the a's who were at home with a rematch against the royals. teams got rained out on tuesday night. the game went into 12 innings before the a's could finish it off. a's win it 5-4. well, it happened in the freezing cold, they say, but it is likely to certainly warm your heart. >> a marathon runner got a big surprise after crossing the finish line at the north pole. >> will you marry me? >> her boyfriend popped the question right after she finished the race. she was already happy she won the women's race in just over six hours, but her boyfriend had that surprise waiting for her, an engagement ring. the freezing cold made it hard for her to get it out, but her answer was yes. the couple was among a group of

40 athletes who ran a full marathon at the north pole and now they're celebrating on top of the world. >> is she hyperventilating there? it's so cold, run a huge race. good thing he didn't drop the ring either in the snow. good for them. still ahead on "today in the bay," protecting the shoreline. the renewed boost to have flood protection in the south bay. >> check us out on facebook. just search nbc baynews. news. we will log on right now, we'd love to hear from you.

when someone gives blood and a life is saved, that moment when heartbreak turns to hope, you're there through the american red cross. every day, the red cross responds to nearly 200 neighborhood emergencies. and your support makes it possible. use this moment to join us today. visit redcross.org.

an historic ground-breaking is set for today for b.a.r.t.'s extension into the south bay. i'm live with the latest on what it all means for local commuters and job seekers. plus, a southern phenomenon hits the central valley. we'll show you the twister that