good mornings. coming up on "early today," severe weather slams the south killing four people, flipping cars, damaging homes and knocking out power to thousands. and it's not over yet. that weather system could mean major delays and cancellations for millions trying to get home for the holidays. breaking news overnight, a fatal police shooting overnight in missouri sparks protests. a health skaeg for former president george h.w. bush. viral video of a homeless man helping others in need. and a controversial nativity scene. why is the owner being ordered to take it down. it's wednesday, december 24th. "early today" starts right now. well, good morning to you on

this christmas eve. thanks for joining us today. i'm dara brown. it is a state of emergency in some parts of mississippi right now. the storm system could affect half the nation's population over the next 24 hours. nbc's kirk gregory has more. >> reporter: rare december tornadoes tore through southern mississippi ripping roofs from businesses and pulling walls from their foundations. in the town of columbia, thousands were left without power. two dozen homes damaged. vehicles thrown on to their sides. >> we had reports of debris falling out of the sky off to the north and east of columbia. >> reporter: weather chaser brendan clemons. >> trees were all completely snapped, buildings destroyed, ambulances flipped on top of another car. >> reporter: in louisiana much of the same, downed trees and debris from damaged homes strewn across yards. as the massive system marched

eastward it brought torrential rain to the panhandle of florida. more than six inches fell in tallahassee and as the front moves to the north and east, it's promising to make christmas eve travel a nightmare. on tuesday the flight aware misery map showed growing problems at airports in many cities. delays at those airports are only expected to get worse as the storm moves through. as much as 6 inches of snow is expected in chicago for christmas eve adding the windy city to the list of those expecting a white christmas this year. but getting where you're going the day before by air or road may prove slow going. kirk gregory, nbc news. . we are awaiting a news conference hours after another 18-year-old black teen was shot and killed by a police officer in that area. it happened in berkeley, a town

just outside of ferguson. a spokesman for the st. louis police department said the officer approached the teen and another male during a routine check near a gas station. that's when police say the teen pulled out and pointed a handgun at the officer. police said the officer fearing for his life fired several shots and fatally wounded the teen. his male companion fled the scene. police recovered the teen's handgun. his mother says his girlfriend broke the news to her. >> she told me that they went to the store, they was walking someone, they was walking and the police, i got he run or something and the police started shooting. >> we'll continue to bring you more details as this story develops. former president george h.w. bush remains in a houston hospital this morning, but just as a precaution. he was taken to the hospital after experiencing a shortness of breath last night. president obama has sent well wishes to the 90-year-old former president. bush spent nearly two months in that same hospital this time

last year for a bronchitis-related cough and other health issues. after criticism from both washington and hollywood, sony pictures will release "the interview" at a limited number of theaters tomorrow. more than 200 theaters are expected to show the controversial comedy, this despite threats from hackers with possible links to north korea. nbc's tracie potts is live in washington. tracie, what does this mean for sony. >> reporter: it could mean they could recoup what's thought to be $100 million they would lose by canceling the full release. president obama criticized them for making the decision so quickly. now white house says he's applauding this limited release saying people should be able to go to the movie theater and make up their own minds, exercising therrell own free speech rights. >> hello, north korea! >> reporter: sony says "the

interview" will debut in more than 200 independent theaters across the country tomorrow. at some, tickets sold out in an hour. >> i was willing to go on christmas to go see it just to say, you know, we're not going to stand up for this kind of bullying and this childish behavior. >> reporter: the movie is about a fictional plot to kill north korea's leaders. hackers referenced 9/11 and demanded it be pulled. >> threatening to blow up american families around the united states, that's an act of terrorism. they ought to be on the list. >> reporter: he's referencing the list of states that sponsor terror, one of the responses president obama is considering. the state department still won't say if the u.s. was behind monday's massive internet outage in north korea. >> i can't comment on those reports one way or the other. i can't confirm them one way or the other. >> reporter: sony is bracing for another cyber attack but says it's proud to stand up for free speech. the film's stars james franco and seth rogen have tweeted victory and freedom have prevailed. it will appear in less than a

tenth of theaters that were supposed to show the film. they're planning extra security tomorrow. >> reporter: if you don't get to one of those theaters on christmas day, we're told that sony is still looking at releasing that as streaming video on the internet or on video on demand. >> tracie potts reporting from washington, d.c., thanks so much. here in new york city, a show of solidarity across the city's skyline for the two police officers killed on saturday. the christmas tree here at rockefeller center was among several landmarks to dim its lights for five minutes at 9:00 last night. the empire state building and one world trade center did the same at the request of mayor bill deblasio. the mayor says vice president joe biden and his wife will attend the funeral service of officer raphael ramos on saturday. stephanie gosk has the latest on efforts the deescalate the tension.

>> reporter: new york city stopped to mark the moment when the officers were gunned down. >> shattered, broken, and we really don't know where we're going from here. >> reporter: officer liu's tearful widow thanked supporters. >> this is a difficult time for both our families. >> reporter: mayor de blasio called for an end to protests on police tactics until after the funerals were held. some law enforcement officials linked those protests to saturday's rampage. detectives say 28 yshd suspect ismaaiyl brinsley had video on his cell phone of this december 1st demonstration against the police. new york's police commissioner with matt lauer. >> it's quite office that they targeted these two police officers, it was a direct spinoff of this issue of these demonstrations. >> reporter: but he also had a long criminal record and history of mental illness. before he killed the officers and himself he first shot his ex-girlfriend.

organizers say they are not to blame and they are back on the streets. eugene courier helped organize the demonstration. >> to stop now would only feed into their narrative that these protests have contributed to the climate of violence and chaos which we believe is not true. >> reporter: what is undeniably true is two officer died senselessly and the city is left wondering how to keep it from happening again. stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york. let's check in with meteorologist domenica davis to see how the holiday forecast is shaping up. good morning. >> good morning. we're looking at a white christmas out to the wefrt basically through the cascades and northern rockies. that's where we have winter warnings and advisories that will be up through today. a brand new system is moving onto the coast. it is going to mean some very heavy rain from oregon all the way up to seattle. that rain is even going to

spread into northern california later today. we'll have the snow through the mountains, but it will be a rainy forecast from seattle to san francisco and eventually through central california getting in on some of the rain. temperatures are mild. and through the southeast looking at very nice conditions. 74 degrees in los angeles today with plenty of sunshine around the desert southwest. also looking at a very nice 42 in albuquerque, 63 for the high in phoenix and 59 in in vegas. >> and that's a look at your christmas eve weather. >> thank you so much, domenica. still ahead, we're keeping an eye on santa's location this morning. what a homeless man in california does after receiving $100 from a stranger.

and the cutest stocking suffers ever. these quadruplets were born premature back in september. thanks to staff at the university of colorado hospital, they're doing just fine this holiday season. too cute. you're watching "early today." kohl's is open 24 hours! all day and all night kohl's is open 24 hours! now through 6pm christmas eve! get all of your last minute gifts, and save when you want to... plus, everyone gets kohl's cash. find your yes. kohl's.

is a really big deal.u with aches, fever and chills- there's no such thing as a little flu. so why treat it like it's a little cold? there's something that works differently than over-the-counter remedies. attack the flu virus at its source with prescription tamiflu. and call your doctor right away. tamiflu is fda approved to treat the flu in people 2 weeks and older whose flu symptoms started within the last two days. before taking tamiflu tell your doctor if you're pregnant, nursing, have serious health conditions, or take other medicines. if you develop an allergic reaction, a severe rash, or signs of unusual behavior, stop taking tamiflu and call your doctor immediately. children and adolescents in particular may be at an increased risk of seizures,

confusion or abnormal behavior. the most common side effects are mild to moderate nausea and vomiting. ask your doctor about tamiflu and attack the flu virus at its source. stories making news this morning. passengers on board two planes are okay after one plane taxiing out to the runway clipped another plane waiting for a gate. the left wingtip of the southwest plane was damaged and so was the tail wing of the american airlines plane. no injuries were reported. both planes are being serviced and repaired. gay men can now donate blood so long as they have abstained from sex with other men for a year. it is the latest attempt by the fda to lift a ban which went into effect at the start of the aids epidemic in the early '80s. illinois is the latest state to legalize medical marijuana for children. minors must get two doctors to sign off that it will help treat

their health condition. a self-described social experiment prankster thought he was going to catch a homeless person buying alcohol with money he gave him. well, the homeless man does go into a liquor store but he comes out with food and then goes from park to park and shares it with other homeless people. the video has got nearly 10 million hits since it was posted on monday. in cincinnati a zombie inspired nativity scene? it's pitting town officials against its homeowner. it was brought to their attention by two anonymous residents who were offended by it. they ordered it be removed by friday citing zoning violations. now the homeowner says his goal was not to offend anyone's religious beliefs. and it is a question on the minds of so many kids out there this morning. where is santa? starting tonight volunteers at norad will be tracking his every step and so can you by going to their website at noradsanta.org. new this year an app for smart

let's get down to business with cnbc's meg terrell. >> good morning. the dow looks to open higher after closing above 18,000 for the first time. the economy grew even more than expected this summer. the dow went from 17,000 to 18,000 in less than six months. it's a short day of trading the day. the markets close at 1:00 p.m. eastern time. fedex and ups are reportedly having express holiday deliveries after a surge caused some to go over their agreed-upon limit. last year two million packages didn't make it on time because of late orders and bad weather. reports say nfl clips including highlights, news and other contents followed by ads for verizon wireless. meg, thank so much. just ahead, this year's heisman winner adds another honor to his spectacular season. plus nfl players do a little

carolling for a cause. a spoof on a holiday classic you won't want to miss. sports is up next. about my sensitive teeth, he told me there's a whole new way to treat sensitivity. he suggested i try new crest sensi-stop strips. [ male announcer ] just apply to the gumline of sensitive teeth for a quick 10 minutes. the special ingredient forms a lasting barrier that provides immediate relief and up to one month of protection. see why dental professionals endorse crest sensi-stop strips to treat sensitivity. that's 1 strip. 10 minutes. and up to 1 month of protection. satisfaction guaranteed. [ woman ] life opens up when you relieve sensitivity. am i forgetting something? no holiday's complete without campbell's green bean casserole. wish you were here. ♪ [ doorbell ] [ gasps ] ♪ [ gong ] [ wisest kid ] m'm! m'm! good! [ female announcer ] just about anywhere you use sugar, you can use splenda® no calorie sweetener. splenda® lets you experience the joy of sugar

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this morning on "today," the continuing series, "i am unbroken." today meet these first ever double amputee on prosthetics to complete the ironman championship. talk about an accomplishment. all right. to sports now.

trailblazers took on the thunder in a thrill to the finish. >> he gets a good look. he comes to challenge but knocks it down. >> damian lillard hits his seventh three-pointer to force overtime and then in the closing seconds serge ibaka gets tangled up under the basket. they are both ejected. the blazers win it 115-111. another overtime win this time in college hoops during the semi-finals during the diamond head classic. wichita state escapes a near upset with a one-point win over hawaii, 80-79. florida state has extended coach jimbo fisher's contract through the 2022 season. the team is in the middle of a school record 29-game winning streak. oregon quarterback and this year's heisman winner, marcus mariota is now also the a.p. college football player of the year. mariota received 49 of the 54 votes submitted by the top 25

media panel. this year's nfl pro bowl selection was dominated by the afc west champion denver broncos with nine players selected. peyton manning was picked for the 14th time. the nfc east, dallas cowboys were second with six selections. ♪ jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bellrock ♪ >> colts players showed off their musical talent caroling for patients at riley children's hospital. it's past of the team's community tuesday event. and the st. louis blues had a little fun spoofing the classic holiday movie "home alone" with their mascot louie. take a look. >> i feel like we're for getting something. kevin! >> no, i'm right here. >> louie! >> ahhhhhh!

just ahead, forbes list top ten most overpaid actors in hollywood. plus the rock goes back in time, fanny pack and all just in time for christmas. r doctor if

you're pregnant, nursing, have serious health conditions, or take other medicines. if you develop an allergic reaction, a severe rash, or signs of unusual behavior, stop taking tamiflu and call your doctor immediately. children and adolescents in particular may be at an increased risk of seizures, confusion or abnormal behavior. the most common side effects are mild to moderate nausea and vomiting. ask your doctor about tamiflu and attack the flu virus at its source.

why do i cook for the to share with family to carry on traditions to come together, even when we're apart in stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and more, swanson® makes holiday dishes delicious! walgreens knows the holidays are full of surprises. that's why, whenever the need arises... walgreens is always right around the corner, so you can get in and out in no time. and help keep the magic in your holidays. at the corner of happy and healthy. most stores open christmas day. good morning, and welcome back to "early today." i'm meteorologist domenica

davis. we're looking at wet weather in the pacific northwest. seattle and portland all the way to medford. san francisco looking at light rain through the day. that will eventually spread into central california as well. then it's snow today for the mountains. we're looking at through the cascades and the rockies, we'll have moderate snowfall. by christmas day, it gets a lot better. we're still looking at snow in the mountains, but it will be drier along the coast. that's a look at the holiday forecast, dara. >> that's nice. a white christmas for some. >> and good skiing. >> always a good die well, now for some entertainment news. maybe this will put a smile on your face "entourage" is back. the first trailer was just released. in it we see the group is back in action as they follow the career of movie star vincent chase. forbes has released the top ten most overpaid actors in hollywood. topping the list for a second year in a row is adam sandler. johnny depp took secretary place while ben stiller was in third. rounding out the top five were

ryan reynolds and tom hanks. long-time couple alaina carter and tim burton are no more. after 13 years together, the pair separated. they say they'll continue to be friends and co-parents to their two children. "the walking dead" spinoff, officially cast its lead. it's "gone girl" star kim dickens. the show will be about the zombie apocalypse on the west coast. just in time for christmas, dwayne "the rock" johnson tweeted out this picture. it's like a throwback thursday. i'm dara brown. this is "early today." we hope it's your first stop of the day on nbc. sensitive bladder? try new always discreet, a revolution in bladder leak protection from always, the experts in feminine protection. new always discreet, for sensitive bladders.

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you know this can be the most wonderful time of the year, but when you're missing someone in your life the holidays can turn into a really tough time. that is why there is a place to go for families of our fallen military. nbc's janet shamlian shows us how snowball express works. >> merry christmas. oh, look here. >> reporter: you can't buy a ticket for this flight or a dozen others like it. this is the snowball express and it's just touched down in texas. >> we love the welcome every year. it's so much fun. >> reporter: every december hundreds of children and mostly moms are invited for four days of holiday fun. they are the sons, daughters, and spouses of fallen military heroes. >> it's bitter sweet because you

know why you're here. >> reporter: for jennifer stratton it's been five years since she lost her husband mark in afghanistan. she comes here every year from virginia with her children who are now 7, 10, and 12. >> friendships develop and then i get to know more and more of the widows so you feel like you're coming home every time for christmas, which is very nice. >> reporter: as for volunteers, there's a cast of thousands. >> would you like a pork patty or pork chop? >> reporter: but the most significant expression of support comes from the people of fort worth. >> merry christmas! >> reporter: moms and dads who load up their own children and wait by the side of the road to cheer on 50 busloads of military families as they drive by. >> i'm here to tell them that we love them and we support them. >> reporter: it's a massive undertaking, the flights, the hotel rooms, the activities and the food, it's all donated. no one pays a dime. >> we're here for the kids. we want to remember what they sacrificed for us.

>> reporter: for the parents, it's a shoulder to lean on. >> 150 months, long 15 months. >> reporter: but it's mostly all about fun. new memories in the making. >> 1, 2, 3! >> reporter: janet shamlian, nbc news, ft. worth. what a great program. let's take a look ahead. pope francis will lead the traditional midnight mass at the vatican. it's his second christmas eve mass as pontiff. it comes days after he delivered a blistering critique of senior leadership. happy birthday to ryan seacrest who is a big 4-0. singer ricky martin turns 43 and fashion designer kate spade is 52. now, keep it right here for more news, weather and sports. i'm dara brown with domenica davis. thank you for watching "early

today." we hope you enjoy your holi this"

>> good wednesday morning. it's 4:30, i'm sam brock, i'm vicki nguyen. first a check of the forecast with anthony. >> another morning, dense, dangerous fog. this time to the north bay, we've been playing pass the fog around, like hot potato all week. it's been over in oakland. then the south bay yesterday. now it's in the north bay, where we're looking at the most dangerous, thick fog. we have a storm system on the way. that's expected to arrive today. we'll time out this entire system coming up in a few minutes. i want to show you highs today. going to be