tornados in the south claim dozens of lives and leave a path of destruction, including totally destroyed houses, mangled cars, and other structures. but is the worst over? millions in the northeast waking up to snowy conditions while other parts of the nation are facing rising waters and flooding. spacex's dragon rocket ship had just one heck of a weekend, giving even more promise to an increase in manned space exploration by summer. a busy week ahead in washington as investigations will come raining down on the white house. plus a glimpse at one of the most beautiful and dangerous sights on earth. "early today" starts right now. good to be with you this monday morning. breaking news, a deadly devastation across the south.

tornados tore through eastern alabam k near the town of beauregard. the powerful winds ripped buildings down to their ere sta statewide emergency amid fears that as the sun rises, so will the death toll. >> i knew we'd have bad weather but i didn't realize the devastation we would have. my heart goes out to those people. words can't describe the loss that we've suffered. and we're all praying for those people. >> the lake county sheriff says more people are still unaccounted for and that the search will ramp up this morning. nbc's dan scheneman has moren the south. >> it's amazing the amount of devastation that winter storms can do. >> reporter: a tornado touched down in eastern alabama sunday. trees were knocked down, buildings left in ruin, playgrounds mangled. the owner of this gas station says nothing can be salvaged. >> houses completely destroyed. homes just -- basically just

slabs where once stood a home. >> reporter: search and rescue operations have been launched. residents left shaken. s st cam and changed so many lives that, to watch. but i'm grateful that my family's okay and there's a lot of people out here that their families are not and my heart goes out to them. >> reporter: near macon, georgia, another twister touched down, devastation left in its wake. also in the southeast, heavy downpours led to flooding. in birmingham, alabama, a woman had to be rescued when her car was surrounded by water. in mississippi roads were closed in yazoo cntd sidents had to leave their homes and find higher ground. a weekend of violent weather leaving destruction behind. dan scheneman, nbc news. winter storms are wreaking havoc from the midwest to maine. in colorado drivers were nearly buried by an avalanche along i-70. >> it's not going to come down

here, is it? >> no, that is -- >> is it? it's slowing down. holy [ bleep ]. >> it's over that car right now. >> oh my god. it ain't going to come this way, is it? a winter blast also hit st. louis. snow buried the gateway to the west then crept northeast, blanketing millions across the region. let's turn to meteorologist michelle grossman who's tracking this system. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, frances. good news is severe weather has moved out. we are looking at the snow moving out as well. we have some snow left over, boston, bal harbour.

i will quickly move out. a few advisories and warnings left over. they will drop off quickly. it will be a slow commute for many in the northeast this morning. that storm system moves out back behind this system, we have another system moving in. low pressure from canada. sit and spin from canada will usher down this very, very cold air. it will bring temperatures well below normal this time of year. and wind chills 20 to 30 below zero. there's the bitterly cold air coming in. we are looking at 22 in washington, 18 in new york. winter is holding on tightly in the northeast and the middle of the country. >> i hope we can peel the fingers off. >> like a bahama mama.

breaking news out of kenya where police say a helicopter crash killed four americans plus the pilot. the chopper came down at central island national park in the northern part of the country. all five people on board were killed. in a facebook post, kenyan authorities say investigators are on scene and looking to identify the cause of the crash. near starvation. an oregon man and his dog survived five grueling days trapped in a car. they endured miserable conditions, deadly as well. including frigid temperatures and heavy snowfall. but today 36-year-old jeremy taylor and his dog are alive and recovering, and he says what saved them, those packets of taco sauce got him through the ordeal, thst snowstorm in that area in over a century. survival instincts kicked in and he ate the taco sauce until a snowmobiler found him alive in his vehicle nearly a week later. the trump administration is grappling with the fallout from the failed north korea summit this morning. president trump vented his frustrations on twitter sunday blaming michael cohen's testimony for the collapse in

talks with kim jong-un last week. previously the president said they couldn't reach a deal because of a disagreement over sanctions against north korea. meanwhile mr. trump's top officials are defending his decision to walk away from the negotiations. nbc's geoff bennett has more. >> reporter: the president's national security adviser defending the dramatic collapse of mr. trump's second summit with kim jong-un. >> i don't consider the summit a failure, i consider it a success. >> reporter: john bolton downplaying concerns that the president walked away empty-handed. he's not desperat. not with north korea, not with anybody. if it's contrary to american national interests. >> reporter: hoping to ease tensions, the u.s. now abandoning its annual spring jot the democratic chairman of the house intelligence committee calling that a major concession. >> of course the president did give up a great deal by going to that summit, by enhancing kim jong-un's prestige on the world stage, by giving up those

military exercises in the last summit, and getting nothing for it. >> reporter: and bolton brushing off the bipartisan backlash after president trump appeared to hold kim blameless in the death of otto warmbier. >> he tells me that he didn't know about it, and i will take him at his word. >> when he says i'm going to take him at his word, it just -- it doesn't mean that he accepts it as reality, it means that he accepts that's what kim jong-un said. >> reporter: warmbier was returned to the u.s. in a coma and died after 17 months in a north korean prison. mr. trump on saturday said warmbier's death made the nuclear negotiations uncomfortable. >> i'm in such a horrible position. and it's a v v ac chose not to comment on the president's latest remarks. frances? >> geoff, thank you.

president trump is starting the week on a high note. a new nbc news and "wall street journal" poll shows his approval rating at 46%, up 3 points from january. but that could soon change, as house democrats get ready to ramp up their investigations into the president. let's turn to nbc's tracie potts who joins from us d.c. with what we can expect this week. >> reporter: six house committees are investigating president trump. three are taking action this week. >> we have seen abuses of power, obstruction of justice. direct to the mueller investigation. direct to witnesses. >> i think the congressman decide to impeach the president the day the president won the election. >> reporter: the judiciary committee will receive documents from 60 people, including the chief financial officer and donald trump jr. and the overnight committee wants documents explaining why the white house bypassed concerns about jared kushner's background check and authorized security clearance for the

president's son-in-law. the intelligence committee will hear more private testimony from former trump lawyer michael cohen. >> he has credibility problems. we are right to demand corroboration. >> reporter: they're looking into the trump tower deal in russia during the 2016 campaign. >> it was a deal where he was pursuing help from the kremlin, from putin himself at a time when putin was seeing relief from sanctions.

>> literally sent me back in my seat. >> crews from kansas city, missouri will come in and make repair. the pipeline company based out of dallas. this is not the first deadly explosion they have encountered with the state of missouri. >> tributes are flooding in as the celebrity cast of the voice reacts to news of powerhouse contestant janice freeman. it was an extreme case of pneumonia and a blood clot that traveled to her heart. she finished 11th in the season.

she continued to receive warmth and friendship from miley cyrus. the singer battled lupus, meningitis, and cervical cancer. cyrus and hudson sent condolences on social media. this was originally held march 7th, 1965. during the march, they violently beat protesters who tried to cross the. they were gathering support for the voting rights act that passed later that year. forethat'sst. midd of the country to the northeast. it's cool but it's winter. boise, 46. salt lake city, 44 degrees. lots of sunshine this morning in seattle. san francisco, 55.

dry conditions before some rain mo pretty good too. lots of sunshine. on the cooler side. not too bad. temperatures in the 40s. phoenix, scottsdale, that's the place to go today. 80 degrees, sunny, poolside. >> i would pick that place right there. miami. thank you. a familiar face on the run in tommy now.eekend. she is 70 years old. she had dance moves down the runway to balance out the flaws. it shows women of all shapes and sizes inspired by the '70s and 0s

still possible good news for your tax return. and spacex hits another milestone in the final frontier. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ walgreens... battle beautifully are confusing quilted northern are confusing quilted northernf. for a bouncy castle. they're both durable, flexible and nice to have at parties. but quilted northern is not a bouncy castle. it's just really nice toilet paper. that's an aggressive yellow. pretty great, huh? if you're a banana. i find it very... appealing. kellogg's raisin bran with bananas.

two scoops meet real banana slices. i've done a good job of raisin ya. two scoops meet real banana slices. ♪ you want a fresh-smelling home, but some air fresheners use heavy, overwhelming scents. introducing febreze one; a new range of innovative air fresheners with no heavy perfumes that you can feel good about using in your ho febreze one neutralizes stale, stuffy odors and releases a subtle hint of fragrance like bamboo or lemongrass ginger. to eliminate odors with no heavy perfumes, try new febreze one. brand power. helping you buy better. so we improved everything.g. we used 50% fewer ingredients. added one-handed pumps. and beat the top safety standards. johnson's® choose gentle. steven could only imaginem 24hr to trenjoying a spicy taco.burn, now, his world explodes with flavor. nexium 24hr stops acid before it starts

for all-day all-night protection. can you imagine 24-hours without heartburn? for too many years i was loyal to a man when i should not have been. now i know how chlkhloe kardash feels. but now i'm all out of faith. this is how i feel. i'm cold and i'm ashamed and lying naked on the floor. >> you've got to love that n.ming back and doing michael co exploration as the spacex dr nbc's kathy park reports on another landmark in space sunday's high achievement. >> crew no longer sending commands, dragon doing everything on its own. >> reporter: 250 miles above earth the first commercial spacecraft designed to carry humans hitting its mark. >> we have confirmation of a soft capture of the dragon spacecraft to the international space station. >> reporter: then another dramatic moment. astronauts on the iss make their way into the unmanned vessel.

way into the unmanned vessel. >> there he is. human beings inside the dragon spacecraft. >> reporter: floating inside they met a mannequin passenger sitting in the corner, giving everyone back home a look at the spacecraft of the future. >> welcome to the crew dragon. >> reporter: it all followed a spectacular launch from the fao rocket as it ascends through the atmosphere. >> reporter: there's a lot riding on the six-day demo before the dragon capsule heads home friday. a goes well the next test will launch two astronauts as early as july. >> we may push a button or two to demonstrate that we have the capability to intervene if we need to, but the vehicle's pretty much going to do the work autonomously, just like it did today. >> reporter: boeing isn't far behind with its own unmanned launch planned for next month. as a new space race sets off. kathy park, nbc news, new york.

does your house still smell stuffy? that's because your home is filled with soft surfaces that trap odors and release them back into the room. so, try febreze fabric refresher. febreze finds odors trapped in dries.cs and cleans them away at bric refresher even works fordy clothes you want to wear another day. make febreze part of your clean routine for whole home freshness. it's for breakfast.rning introducing the jimmy dean delights breadless egg'wich. we got rid of the bread, and replaced it with two egg fritatas. for a protein packed start to your day. and that is something else. kinda makes you hungry don't it? are confusing quilted northern for robes. they're both cushiony, comforting, and add elegance to your home. but quilted northern is not a robe. it's just really nice toilet paper.

d cocoa, let's go. nutella is sure to bring a smile to breakfast time. with advil liqui-gels, what stiff joints? advil is... relief that's fast. strength that lasts. you'll ask... what pain? with advil liqui-gels.

celebrated a pre-lenten tradition of carnival. in portugal, performers and dancers in colorful costumes and floats like this one depicting president trump and north korean leader kim jong-un filled the streets. an estimated 40,000 people gathered to catch herring thrown from a balcony in the port city of dunkirk.

thousands of people in italy pelted each other at the annual battle of the oranges to eiro as we look forward to fat tuesday tomorrow. wall street watching closely this morning amid new signs of a trade deal between the united states and china.to ler tariffs, and washington considering removing sanctions levied against chinese products. however, both sides warn there are still several hurdles to clear. the "journal" reports a formal agreement could be reached at a summit between president trump and china's xi jinping later this month. finally good news this tax season. refund numbers are ticking up. four weeks in and refunds are now larger than they were last year. according to the irs, the average refund ticked about $40 higher. that's a reversal from the last three weeks when similar refunds were being issued at $186, less than last year.

still to come, how classic cars are getting a second act.c show, courtesy of one of mexico's most active volcanos. don't let psoriatic arthritis take them away. taltz reduces joint pain and stiffness and helps stop the progression of joint damage. for people with moderate to severe psoriasis, 90% saw significant improvement. taltz even gives you a chance at completely clear skin. don't use if you're allergic to taltz. before starting, you should be checked for tuberculosis. taltz may increase risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tellhave an infection,you symptoms, or received a vaccine or plan to. inflammatory bowel disease can happen with taltz, including worsening of symptoms. serious allergic reactions can occur. for all the things that move you. ask your doctor about taltz. that's an aggressive yellow. pretty great, huh? if you're a banana.

i find it very... appealing. kellogg's raisin bran banana slices. i've done a good job of raisin ya. kellogg's raisin bran banana slices. so we improved everything.g. we used 50% fewer ingredients. added one-handed pumps. and beat the top safety standards. johnson's® choose gentle. you won't find relief here. congestion and pressure? go to the pharmacy counter for powerful claritin-d. while the leading allergy spray only relieves 6 symptoms, claritin-d relieves 8, including sinus congestion and pressure. claritin-d relieves more. ty iredients like roasted hazelnuts and cocoa, nutella is sure to bring a smile to breakfast time. here is another laundry hack from home made simple. do you want ready to wear clothing without all the hassle?

you can, with bounce dryer sheets. simply toss two sheets in the dryer to iron less. we dried one shirt without bounce, and an identical shirt using bounce. the bounce shirt has fewer wrinkles, less static, and more softness and freshness. for extra large or wrinkly loads, toss in three sheets. dermatologist tested bounce free and gentle unce out wrinkles, bounce out static. ♪ if♪ darling, tell me me, loveall the ways ♪ay ♪ ♪ tell me all the ways from our store, to your car door. ♪ all the ways choose drive up, at target. dazzling fireworks display as a volcano lit up the night sky over mexico this weekend sending gases, ash, and debris high into the air and down the mountainside. let'sheck cack in with

michelle. >> we have umbrella weather the ne o days in the is spots. snow at the higher elevations. the sierras could get a foot. that is good news for skiers. that's the next two da. (vo) they're all going in the same direction. but in very different ways. and pampers gives all of them our driest, best-fitting diaper. pampers cruisers. with 3 way fit. they adapt at the waist, legs and bottom. with up to 12 hours of protection.

for all of the freedom to move their way. in pampers cruisers. only pampers diapers are the number one choice of hospitals, nurses, and parents. when you call donald trump a cheat in your opening testimony, what would you call yourself? >> a fool. >> are you calling -- okay. well. >> yeah, okay. i mean, it is pretty hard to argue with that now, isn't it? the fact that michael cohen now has absolutely no respect for michael cohen is the first thing i've ever respected about michael cohen. nearly 1 million americans

have made the switch to electric vehicles with sales up 81% last year alone. one company is nbc's harry smith goes under the >> punch it. punch it. his s volkswagen's idea of a pickup truck. let's go. yee-hoo! >> reporter: fast, and how. but noisy, no. this humble rusted hulk has been given a new life. as an ev, electric vehicle. >> i have to confess, i haven't stopped smiling since i got behind the wheel of this thing. >> oh, god, it's a great confession. >> reporter: michael breem is a man who embraces both the past and the future. he loves classic cars, but only to a point. so he retrofits them to connect to the 21st century. >> a 1954 volkswagen now with this electric motor, what kind of top speed? >> over 100 miles an hour. >> reporter: his is a hot rod shop with not a piston or carburetor in sight.

wrecked teslas often provide the batteries and motors. and while gear heads and grease junkies may find this heretical, the results are remarkable. >> we're not here to make the car environmentally friendly, we're here to make it drivable. we're actually here to save the cars. environmental is a cool byproduct. >> reporter: the electric motors give a giant power kit to whatever they are put in, like this dune buggy. the reporter on board, while aware that his life was in jeopardy, could not contain his glee. >> unbelievable. >> reporter: bream has a garage full of cars to convert and a backlog he figures will take him five years to work through. >> we just like to have fun, you know, and take care of things that have taken care of us for so many years. >> reporter: gas is dead, bream likes to say, and green, while nice, also happens to mean go. >> it al

>> isn't classic ca them electric. >> they will last forever. rrppy. >> it needs one of his own.

i wouldn't wish this on anybody. you know, i've seen earthquakes, you know -- like i said, we had a fire last year, me and my family. but this just came on so quick and changed so many lives. >> dozens killed and many still unaccounted for as tornados ripped through the south. first responders and residents searching for loved ones overnight. we'll have the latest. in other parts of the nation, torrential rains and heavy flooding. plus blizzard conditions with many school closings, delayed openings, even an ominous avalanche caught on camera. oc

near. is u